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Tens of thousands of Ismailis from all over the world gathered in Lisbon, Portugal for a week of celebrations to commemorate a once in a lifetime event of the Diamond Jubilee of our 49th Holy Imam Mawlana Shah Karim Al-Husayni who is the 5th Imam in our history to celebrate 60 years on the throne of Imamat.

The event was situated in FIL (Feira Internacional De Lisbon) during the week starting July 5th 2018 and reaching the high mark of Holy Deedar on July 11th 2018.

Members of Noorani family also visited the exhibition sites and the performances by various Ismaili artists.

With news of how the country means to recover the devastation of last summer’s forest fires updating by the day, one of the latest highlights is a donation of €100,000 for reforestation efforts from the Aga Khan’s Ismaili community, based in Lisbon.

The offer was announced yesterday (Thursday), with the money going towards reforesting Leiria’s ‘mata nacional’ - one of the areas worst hit by the fires that are now thought to have killed as many as 50 people in October (see below).

His Highness the Aga Khan and Portuguese President Cavaco Silva arrive at the Castle of São Jorge in Lisbon for the presentation ceremony for the 2013 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
AKDN / Gary Otte

20 July 2017

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa today presented the Aga Khan with the Gra-cruz da ordem de Liberdade in recognition of his service to uplifting lives around the world. Earlier in the day, the Aga Khan received an Honorary Doctorate from the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa.

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa bestowed the Aga Khan with this honour during a ceremony held at Lisbon’s Belem Palace.

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Your Excellency President Professor Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Your Excellency Vice-President of the Parliament Jorge Lacão   
Honorable Rector of the NOVA University, Professor António Rendas
President of the NOVA University’s General Council, Professor Arantes e Oliveira 
Patron of the Doctorate, Francisco Pinto Balsemão
Members of the Diplomatic Corps 
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests

Lisbon, Portugal, 20 July 2017 - His Highness the Aga Khan today received one of Portugal’s highest honours – the Gra-cruz da ordem de Liberdade, or Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty – in recognition of his service to uplifting lives around the world. Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa bestowed the Aga Khan with this honour during a ceremony held at Lisbon’s Belem Palace.

The leader of the Ismaili community, Prince Aga Khan, is to receive the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the New University of Lisbon today, with the Portuguese president and the former prime minister Pinto Balsemão in attendance.
The distinction will be bestowed by New University António Rendas as part of the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee of his 60 years as a hereditary imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community.

Universidade NOVA de Lisboa in Portugal is honouring Mawlana Hazar Imam with a doctorate honoris causa that was presented to him on Thursday, 20 July 2017.

In his acceptance remarks, Hazar Imam said, "I have always felt at home in Portugal and now ever more so since the signing in 2015 of an historic agreement between the Ismaili Imamat and the Portuguese Republic to establish the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in this country. An important milestone in the 1400 year history of the Ismaili Imamat."

Universidade NOVA de Lisboa in Portugal honoured Mawlana Hazar Imam with a doctorate honoris causa that was presented to him on Thursday, 20 July 2017.

Lisbon, Portugal, 19 June 2017 - His Highness the Aga Khan today announced a contribution of Euros 500,000 towards the support of victims of the deadly forest fire in Pedrógão Grande in central Portugal. The fire left more than 60 people dead and several more injured.

His Highness the Aga Khan and Portugal’s Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Rui Machete sign a landmark agreement establishing a formal Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal.

AKDN / Gary Otte

His Highness the Aga Khan and Portugal’s Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Rui Machete sign a landmark agreement establishing a formal Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal.

AKDN / Gary Otte

His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic, visited the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon on 29 April 2017, where he received a warm welcome from hundreds of members of the Portuguese Jamat.
Ismaili Girl and Boy Scouts lined a red carpet at the entrance of the Ismaili Centre, where President Marcelo was greeted upon his arrival by Rahim Firozali, President of the Ismaili Council for Portugal, Nazim Ahmad, Diplomatic Representative of the Ismaili Imamat to the Portuguese Republic, and senior officials of the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat.

This Agreement establishes the privileges, immunities and facilities extended by the Portuguese Republic to the Ismaili Imamat.