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Remarks by His Highness the Aga Khan upon receiving the UCSF Medal in San Francisco, California
26 April 2011

Chancellor Desmond-Hellman, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Fellow UCSF Medal Recipients Elizabeth Blackburn, Dr Marvin Sleisenger, Deans and Academy Leaders and Faculty, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I had like to tell you how touched I am and honoured I am by receiving this medal this evening. But I had like you to know that this medal actually recognizes the work of thousands and thousands of people in tens and tens of countries over decades. And this in itself is an extraordinary human resource which I have benefitted from and which has come in service to the various countries and institutions which we have developed.

So this evening my thoughts go to them.

The Aga Khan Development Network has a goal. The goal is to try to make the countries where we work, countries of opportunity for their populations. That is the goal. What can we do to make each one of these countries a place of a happy and secure future. And as you know, much of the world where we work our problem is volatility. Volatility in the economics, in governance and so and so forth.

I think what we have learned is that the best answer to this volatility in the countries where we are is civil society. And very often civil society is not an expression that everybody is comfortable with. But I will try to synthesize it by saying that it is really the sum of human endeavor in structured, non-governmental organizations that aim to impact positively all the key forces which condition peoples’ quality of life. And in developing civil society, education and health-care are absolutely critical.

Now in developing civil society, we are not trying to bring mediocrity to the developing world. We are trying to do exactly what UCSF is doing, which is to bring quality and excellence

And we cannot do that without partners, because at the same time UCSF needs I think to reach out to the world at large.

And I hope that the Aga Khan Development Network will be one of your partners.
So in simple terms this is the reason for which my Network and I are so honoured by the Medal that I am receiving this evening. And I would like to say that in this particular instance, my thoughts and gratitude go to three men who played really an essential role because of the arrangements we have between the State of California and the Aga Khan Development Network and between the University and ourselves. And that is Governor Schwartznegger, Ambassador Howard Leach and Dr. Haile Debas

Thank you