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Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Your Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan,
Distinguished leaders from the UAE,
Excellencies and leaders of the Ismaili Muslim community
Athletes, volunteers and staff of the Jubilee Games,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

As-Salaam-Alaikum.

First and foremost, I wish to thank His Highness Sheikh Nahyan for both his patronage of the Jubilee Games, and for having taken the time to travel from Abu Dhabi to be with us today.

Thank you, Your Highness.

I also must express my deepest gratitude to His Highness for encouraging us to hold these games in UAE and for his kind assistance in ensuring that these moments will be memorable for all of us, and particularly for our young athletes who will remember these games and cherish the memories for a very, very long time.

I also wish to thank and express my sincere gratitude to the Government of the UAE, to its ministries, to all governmental and non-governmental institutions, for welcoming us, for their support to us and for doing whatever was necessary to enable us to create this exceptional gathering.

I would like to congratulate everyone who is participating in and helping out in these games, as well as those who participated in and helped to organise the events leading up to them for their collective effort to promote fitness and camaraderie through sports.

In the current times, I can think of no better way than this and of no better place than Dubai to promote the notion of bringing young minds from diverse backgrounds and different environments together in the spirit of friendship and peace. Indeed this is in keeping with the theme of Expo 2020, which will take place here in Dubai in just a few years.

I know the efforts that all you young and able athletes made to come here. I salute your resolve and I pray that you may carry that spirit of friendship and peace with you when you return to your homes.

Finally, I would like to conclude my brief remarks by conveying warmest greetings from my father, His Highness the Aga Khan to His Highness Sheikh Nahyan and to the Government of the UAE, and to all who have enabled these games to take place.

I convey also his very best wishes, to which I add mine, for a most enjoyable and fulfilling week for you all.

Thank you.