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Aga Khan arrives in Portugal for first official visit after establishment of the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat 2016-05-12

Date: 
Thursday, 2016, May 12
Location: 
Source: 
akdn.org
Hazar Imam in Portugal 2016-05-12

Lisbon, Portugal, 12 May 2016 – His Highness the Aga Khan is in Portugal for his first visit since a landmark agreement establishing the global Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal came into effect.

Yesterday, the Aga Khan – Imam (leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) – met with Foreign Affairs Minister Augusto Santos Silva before meeting with the President of the Portuguese Republic, His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who also hosted a private dinner in his honour.

Welcoming His Highness to the dinner, President de Sousa spoke of the relationship between Portugal and the Ismaili Imamat.

“What really brings us together is a joint commitment to defend and apply the principles and values that honour the ethical importance of human life, pluralism of societies and respect for the dignity of human beings,” said the President.

“The values of your civil society are the same values that we defend,” responded His Highness. “We have therefore great commonality in the work we do, not only here in Europe, but in Africa, Asia, and elsewhere.”

Today, the Aga Khan is expected to meet with the Portugues Prime Minister, His Excellency António Costa and the President of Parliament, His Excellency Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, who will host a private lunch in his honour

On 3 June 2015, the Ismaili Imamat and the Portuguese Republic entered into an agreement establishing Portugal as the global Seat of the Ismaili Imamat. It was subsequently adopted by the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic and ratified by the President of the Republic, coming into effect in November 2015.

Building on a long relationship and a series of earlier accords dating back to the first Protocol of Cooperation signed in 2005, the Agreement upholds the promotion of quality of life and the preservation of human dignity, while promoting economic and social development, interfaith dialogue, and the peaceful resolution of conflict as ways of achieving justice and peace.

Once its restoration is complete, the Henrique de Mendonça Palace will house the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat.


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