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Held at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa, Princess Zahra was present, alongside Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand, former Prime Minister Joe Clark, and former Governors General Adrienne Clarkson and Michaëlle Jean. Leaders of the Jamat and AKDN were also in attendance.

Mawlana Hazar Imam sent a video message, in which he spoke of the vital importance of pluralism, and encouraged learning from the diversity we encounter more and more each day.

Held at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa, Princess Zahra was present, alongside Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand, former Prime Minister Joe Clark, and former Governors General Adrienne Clarkson and Michaëlle Jean. Leaders of the Jamat and AKDN were also in attendance.

Mawlana Hazar Imam sent a video message, in which he spoke of the vital importance of pluralism, and encouraged learning from the diversity we encounter more and more each day.

Speech by Prince Rahim Aga Khan V (sent as video message) on the occasion of the 2025 Global Pluralism Awards ceremony held in Ottawa, Canada at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat

November 25, 2025

Bismillah-ir-Raheman-nir-Rahim

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Ottawa, Canada, 25 September 2025 – The Global Centre for Pluralism announces today the 10 laureates for the 2025 Global Pluralism Award. These leaders are being recognised for their exceptional and courageous work to support full participation by marginalised groups in their societies, build trust and cooperation between warring parties, and create systems that foster the protection and celebration of differences around the world.

Opening Remarks by Prince Zahra Aga Khan
8th Annual Pluralism Lecture (Virtual event)
May 19, 2021

Bismillah hir Rahmanir Rahim,

Ms Mengiste, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my very great pleasure to welcome you on behalf of His Highness the Aga Khan, and the entire Board of the Global Centre for Pluralism to our 8th Annual Pluralism Lecture

This year’s Annual Pluralism Lecture, presented by the Global Centre for Pluralism in partnership with the University of British Columbia, will be livestreamed on 19 May, and will feature opening remarks by Princess Zahra Aga.

The 8th Annual Pluralism Lecture, entitled “The Moment of Encounter: History, Disruptions, and Transformations” will be delivered by Ethiopian-American novelist Maaza Mengiste from New York’s Center for Fiction.

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Prime Minister Harper
Honorable Ministers
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

It was just eighteen months ago that the Government of Canada announced its decision to partner with the Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in our Global Centre for Pluralism. What we welcomed at that time was a multi-faceted partnership—financial, yes, but also institutional and intellectual.

His Highness the Aga Khan meets with The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs 20005-04-18

Hazar Imam with the 2019 Global Pluralism Award and the three winners of the award as well as seven honourable mentions

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson,
The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean,
The Right Honorable Joe Clark,
The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario,
Excellencies,
Friends of the Global Centre for Pluralism,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you this evening to the second Global Pluralism Award ceremony.

Thank you, Meredith, for the warm introduction. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are delighted that you have joined the Centre as Secretary General.

Hazar Imam speaking at the 2019 Annual Global Pluralism Award ceremony in Ottawa, Canada 2019-11-20

Mowlana Hazar Imam and Princess Zahra arrive in Ottawa for the Global Pluralism Award ceremony to held on November 20, 2019 2019-11-19

Deborah Ahenkorah (Ghana), the Center for Social Integrity (Myanmar) and 'Learning History That Is Not Yet History' (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia) recognized as outstanding leaders promoting inclusion worldwide

MORE ON: http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpBB2&file=view...

OTTAWA, Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Today, the Global Centre for Pluralism announced the three winners of the 2019

Teachers have one of the hardest jobs on the planet. In a world where social media echo chambers reverberate with hyper-partisan rhetoric and sensational voices, teachers are up against an overwhelming tsunami of information – drowning out time for deliberation and discussion to find the middle ground among widely different viewpoints.

Teachers have an opportunity to equip our students – our next wave of humanity – with the empathetic, critical and forward thinking needed to solve today’s local problems with a global mindset.

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim
Ms. Mohammed,
Your Excellency, the President of the Assembly,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you, on behalf of the Board of the Global Centre for Pluralism, to the 2019 Pluralism Lecture here at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon.

The Annual Pluralism Lecture 2019 will take place on 11 June in Lisbon, where Mawlana Hazar Imam is expected to introduce this year’s speaker, Amina J. Mohammed. The event is anticipated to begin at 7:00 PM UTC+1, and will be webcast at the.ismaili/live.

Hosted by the Global Centre for Pluralism, the Annual Pluralism Lecture provides an opportunity to learn from individuals whose work has made a practical difference in the world. The 2019 lecture will explore the connections between pluralism and global efforts to advance peace, justice, and sustainable development.

Lisbon, Portugal, 11 June 2019 - In delivering the seventh Annual Pluralism Lecture, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed addressed the links between pluralism and development, highlighting the dangers posed by growing inequalities.

“Inequality is at extraordinary levels and is growing, both within and between our countries. After a decade of decline, the number of chronically hungry people in our world recently began to rise again – despite there being abundant food for everyone.”

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Your Excellencies,
Ministers,
Ms. Armstrong,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you, on behalf of the Board of the Global Centre for Pluralism, to the 2018 Pluralism Lecture at the new Aga Khan Centre here in London.

At the outset, I should like to remark on the passing of our fellow Director, the late Kofi Annan.

Karen Armstrong delivers the 2018 Global Centre for Pluralism Annual Lecture at the Aga Khan Centre

LONDON, October 4, 2018 – Karen Armstrong, the British author, delivered the annual 2018 Global Centre for Pluralism Lecture today at the new Aga Khan Centre. The title of Ms. Armstrong’s lecture was “Compassion or Toleration? Two Approaches to Pluralism”.