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

THE WORLD of architecture overflows with awards, including the $100,000 American Pritzker Prize, the $200,000 Japanese Praemium Imperiale and Britain's RIBA Gold Medal, which was founded in 1848. All are trumped in key ways by the Aga Khan's triennial Awards for Architecture, which carries a bounty of $500,000 for projects that benefit Muslim communities.
The Aga Khan believes in honouring his winners with splendid ceremonies and banquets set in great monuments. Ten days ago in Delhi and Agra he brought together more than 300 guests from around the world, including past winners, prominent architects, artists and philosophers and leading figures from Muslim countries.

This is not sheer largesse, for underlying it is a strong diplomatic mission reflecting award applications that have come from 88 countries. Opening the awards in the glorious setting of the Mugul Emperor Humayun's tomb in Delhi, a 16th- century version of the Taj exquisitely illuminated for the occasion, India's Prime Minister called for all Indians to play a part in maintaining their country's heritage.

A second, romantic concert, aimed at sparking interest in Central Asian music, was held in the great court of Agra Fort. Fairouz Nishanova, who runs the Aga Khan's music initiative, explained: 'Our job has been to seek out the music masters who were not allowed to teach during 75 years of Soviet rule. We have opened music academies in Kazakhstan, Kurdistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.'

This is a family in love with architecture. The Aga Khan's daughter Princess Zahra was talking about the dome of the Pantheon as I passed her in the airport arrivals hall. Their enthusiasm is expressed not in building palaces or mansions but in public works, restoring old buildings, rejuvenating historic quarters, laying out parks, establishing hospitals, academies and universities