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SPEECH BY PRINCESS ZAHRA AGA KHAN AT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, MONTREAL ON BEING ON BEING AWARDED AN HONORARY DOCTORAT
JUNE 9, 2025

Madame la Chancelière, Monsieur le recteur, invité d'honneur, chers diplômés, parents et amis. C'est un véritable honneur et un vrai plaisir pour moi d'être parmi vous aujourd'hui, en ce jour de célébration pour l'université de Concordia, pour l'Académie, pour toutes les familles et les amis des diplômés et surtout
pour tous les diplômés de 2025, bravo a vous tous, congratulations.

At a convocation ceremony on 9 June for the Faculty of Arts and Science at Concordia University, Montreal, Princess Zahra was awarded an honorary doctorate for her contributions over many decades to improving the quality of life of vulnerable communities around the world.

Concordia University Chancellor Gina Cody presided over the ceremony, and Professor Anne Wade formally presented Princess Zahra’s achievements to graduands, faculty, and guests.

At a convocation ceremony on 9 June for the Faculty of Arts and Science at Concordia University, Montreal, Princess Zahra was awarded an honorary doctorate for her contributions over many decades to improving the quality of life of vulnerable communities around the world.

Concordia University Chancellor Gina Cody presided over the ceremony, and Professor Anne Wade formally presented Princess Zahra’s achievements to graduands, faculty, and guests.

In a special tribute to the spiritual leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslims and one of the greatest philanthropists, who passed away on February 4th this year in Lisbon at the age of 88, the 246th running of the historic race will be named ‘The Betfred Derby (in honour of His Highness Aga Khan IV)’.

Jim Allen, General Manager of Epsom, commented: “I would like to thank the Aga Khan’s family for supporting us in our decision to rename this year’s race and look forward to welcoming Princess Zahra Aga Khan on Saturday 7th June as our guest.

ISLAMABAD: Expressing deep concern over escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, Prince Rahim Aga Khan, known as the Aga Khan V, has formally offered to mediate between the two countries to help defuse the situation and prevent further loss of life.

According to a foreign news agency, Prince Rahim has sent letters to the Prime Ministers of both Pakistan and India, urging both sides to pursue a peaceful resolution.

There was incredible drama at the finish of the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Group 1) on Sunday at ParisLongchamp. For several long minutes, it seemed that the British filly Shes Perfect (by Sioux Nation) had pulled off an impressive gate-to-wire victory, showing true grit… but unfortunately for her, the filly owned by the Basher Watts Racing 2 syndicate drifted significantly in the home straight, severely hampering Zarigana (by Siyouni).

"The greatest gift a breeder could have." That was how the late HH Aga Khan IV described his unbeaten masterpiece Zarkava. How fitting then, that months after the retirement of the 20-year-old daughter of Zamindar and the sad passing of her owner-breeder, Zarkava's granddaughter Zarigana, herself out of the

Francis-Henri Graffard and owners Aga Khan look to have a very exciting prospect on their hands after Vadinska (Kodiac) strolled to an effortless ten-length debut success in the Prix Fourire (Newcomers) at Saint-Cloud on Thursday. The 1 600 meters contest for three-year-old fillies who hadn’t had a run looked like a solid contest on paper, with top stables represented and interesting pedigrees on display. However, it was turned into an absolute procession by Vadinska, who put up a massive performance under Mickael Barzalona.

Francis Graffard trainee Vadinska (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) delivered an impressive debut performance in Thursday's Prix Fourire at Saint-Cloud and earned a TDN Rising Star badge after registering a 10-length success in the one-mile debutantes' heat.

If the most exciting sight in Flat racing is to watch a horse with a real turn of foot played daringly late, then it is possible that Zarigana might produce more than her share of thrills as the season progresses.

Mickael Barzalona has learned the Aga Khan Studs' regally bred daughter of Siyouni needs to be the last to attack and, with energy pent up in the 189 days since her fractional defeat in the Prix Marcel Boussac, he left Zarigana with barely a furlong and a half of the Prix de la Grotte to work with before he let her at the front-running Shes Perfect.

Keeping it simple on the 6-5 favourite Mandanaba (Fr) (Ghaiyyath (Ire), Mickael Barzalona allowed the exciting Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred to roll from the front and capture Sunday's G3 Al Shira'aa Racing Prix Vanteaux at ParisLongchamp. Sufficiently impressive on her debut at Chantilly in November to earn TDN Rising Star status, Princess Zahra Aga Khan's daughter of her triple Group 1 winner Mandesha (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}) was in dominant mood throughout.

Islam says that the best form of charity, to use the term, is by helping
people to become self-sufficient. It is to give in such a way that the
person becomes master of one's own destiny.

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and The Aga Khan University (AKU) in Arusha, Tanzania, will host the 1st International Symposium on Artemisia from October 8-10, 2025.

This landmark event will bring together over 200 leading researchers, physicians, veterinarians, agronomists, and policymakers from around the world to explore the diverse applications of Artemisia annua and Artemisia afra in human health, animal health, and environmental sustainability.

LISBON, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The late Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, who died on Tuesday in Lisbon after nearly seven decades as the spiritual leader of the global Ismaili Muslim community, will be buried in Egypt on Sunday, according to the Ismaili Imamat.

After a funeral ceremony at the Ismaili Centre in the Portuguese capital on Saturday - to be attended by leaders of the community, Portuguese government members and foreign dignitaries - Aga Khan IV will be laid to rest at a private burial ceremony in Aswan, Egypt on Sunday, it said in a statement on Thursday.

Lisbon, Portugal, 29 January 2025 – A ceremony was held yesterday at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat to mark the signing of a partnership agreement for the rehabilitation of the historic Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Aflição, located in Branzelo, Gondomar.

The Group 1 action at Deauville came to an end on Sunday with the twin highlights of the Morny and the Jean Romanet, but French racing's summer by the sea has at least one more gift to deliver in the shape of Saturday's Racehorse Retraining day.

It is fair to say France was a little late to the party when it came to a unified approach to aftercare, retirement planning and linking up with what is a voracious appetite in the wider equestrian population for sourcing horses once their first career is over.

If I as a Muslim came to you and were to say: What's happening in Northern Ireland reflects Catholic and Protestant beliefs, then you would say: you're uneducated.

Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) builds on over three decades of excellence in education in Bangladesh

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) on Saturday said they are in the process of establishing a new centre of educational excellence in Dhaka – The Aga Khan Academy.

This is being done in line with the renewed protocol of cooperation signed between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Bangladesh government.

August 17th was designated by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah to Ismailis as Diamond Jubilee Day and to be celebrated as such every year.

Our 44th Holy Pir Bibi Sarkar Mata Salamat was born in Mahellat in Iran in 1157 A.H. She was the daughter of Pir Mirza Muhammad Baqir who was the maternal uncle of Imam Khalilullah Ali (the 2nd). Pir Bibi Sarkar married Imam Khalilullah Ali and became the mother of the next Imam Aga Hassanali Shah (Aga Khan !). Pir Bibi Sarkar (also known by her name of Maryam Khatoon) was sent by Imam Hassanali Shah to Jherruck accompanied by Mirza Abul Kassim in 1825.