Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

2004, May 22: Madrid, Spain: Former South African president Nelson Mandela and his wife Graca Machel landed in Madrid for the wedding, as did former Czech President Vaclav Havel and the presidents of Portugal, Colombia, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Royalty arriving in Madrid included Dutch Queen Beatrix, the kings and queens of Belgium and Sweden, the Aga Khan and the crown princes of Norway and Bahrein. About 30 heads of state or government as well as scores of royalty were expected to attend the wedding.

2004, July 5: ANKARA (IRIN) - The Aga Khan arrived in Tajikistan on Sunday as part of six-day visit to that country and its mountainous neighbour, Kyrgyzstan, where he will lay the cornerstones for two of three campuses for the future University of Central Asia (UCA), the world's first internationally chartered institution of higher education.

In the heart of Old Cairo, on the edge of a slum, a park is born. Yasmine El-Rashidi watches a phoenix emerge from the ashes. Cairo is a city of streets, pavements and apartment blocks. A city committed to tarmac and concrete, with a very low tolerance for nature and open space. Not only does it have no equivalent of London's Hyde Park or New York's Central Park, but even a truncated version of those urban gardens has always seemed an unlikely eventuality. But we should remember that the city's relentlessly urban texture is a relatively recent phenomenon. The Cairo that was rebuilt by the Fatimids (969-974) and named Al-Qahira ("the victorious") consisted of 20 per cent open space (30 hectares) -- and this balance was preserved by both the Ayubids and the Mamelukes after them.

2004, May 21: He didn't attract as much attention as the Dalai Lama. He rarely does. But by the time he had slipped in and out of Ottawa on his private jet, the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's 15 million Imami Ismaili Muslims, had given the city, and the country, a major gift. The Geneva-born imam, who is now based just outside Paris, has announced the creation of the Global Centre for Pluralism, which will be based in Ottawa.

Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa CEO Ian Cripwell (left) is seen when officially opening the refurbished Paediatric Ward. Looking on (centre) is a delighted Paediatric Support Group Chairperson Mrs. Tanuja Walli and Eye- catchers Limited Mombasa managing director Mehul Dave.

While attending the Berlin International Conference for Afghanistan, Minister Carroll met with the Aga Khan, Head of the Aga Khan Development Network. CIDA and the Aga Khan Foundation are partners in a variety of projects in Asia and Africa.

The Aga Khan (L) talks to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell as German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (R) arrives for a family picture during a break at the conference of international donors for Afghanistan in Berlin March 31, 2004. Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged international donors not to let Afghanistan revert to a "haven for drugs and terrorists" at the start of a conference on Wednesday at which it is seeking over $27 billion in aid.

Karim Agha Khan IV, l'actuel chef de la dynastie , ici avec son homme de confiance Hubert Monzat (à gauche)

His Highness the Aga Khan (L) with Prince Kassim Nakibinge at Kibuli Mosque yesterday

Minister for Education and Culture, Joseph Mungai being congratulated by the President of Aga Khan University, Shamsh Kassim-Lakha shortly after he delivered a speech at a dinner party organised by the University held at the Royal Palm Hotel on Tuesday.