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The five-story structure, years in the making, was the site of an opening ceremony Thursday that included Houston Mayor John Whitmire and His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the worldwide spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims.

Overlooking Buffalo Bayou, Houston's Ismaili Center hosted an opening ceremony Thursday as the first such center in the United States and the seventh worldwide. It’s been nearly 20 years in the making and serves as an ambassadorial building for the Shia Ismaili branch of Islam.

Bismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim

I think I will start by saying that Houston is the friendliest city that I have ever visited and you, Sir, are a tough act to follow but I will go through the steps. Thank you very much for these remarks. We are deeply touched. (addressing John Whitmore, Mayor)

Honorable Members of the United States Congress,

Honorable Members of the Texas Legislature,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Elected Officials,

The Honorable John Whitmire, Mayor of Houston,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mawlana Hazar Imam arrived in Houston, Texas, earlier today, marking his first official visit to the United States of America as our 50th Imam. He was accompanied by Prince Amyn, Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad.

Hazar Imam was received by the Honorable Carol McCutcheon, Sugar Land’s Mayor; Rick Miller, the Mayor Pro Tem of Sugar Land; Al-Karim Alidina, President of the Ismaili Council for USA and a delegation of Jamati leaders.

Prince Amyn visited the Ismaili Center in Kensington, London for the occasion of "topping out" ceremony. Prince Amyn placed the last brick as guest of honour at this ceremony held on the roof of the nearly completed Ismaili Center in central London.

Prince Amyn said that the Center has "the difficult vocation of bridging East and West, of bringing together strong and brilliant cultures".

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim.

Your Excellencies,
Your Worship,
Distinguished Scholars and Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

Madam Prime Minister,
Your Excellencies,
Your Worship the Mayor,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a very great pleasure for us to welcome you, Madam Prime Minister, and so distinguished a gathering for a ceremony which is a most significant one for the Ismaili community: significant because this is the first cultural and religious centre in the Western world to have been built specifically for the community's requirements.

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The vacant lot along Montrose Boulevard at Allen Parkway is planned as the future site of the Ismaili Center near downtown Houston along Buffalo Bayou, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019.Photo: Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Your Excellency President Rahmonov,
Your Worship the Mayor of Dushanbe,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,

Today's ceremony represents a milestone in the history of the Ismaili Muslim community's presence in Central Asia, a presence which dates back to the second century of Islam. For me personally, as the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismailis, this is a day of great happiness.

It is also fitting that the Foundation Ceremony of a landmark cultural and religious centre should coincide with the celebration of the one thousandth anniversary of the birth of Syedna Nasir-i-Khusraw.

His Highness the Aga Khan at the Opening Ceremony of Ismaili Center Dushanbe

Bismi-Llahi-R-Rahamani-R-Rahim

Your Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am deeply honoured by your presence this morning.

Nestled in one of Bur Dubai's older districts is one of the emirate's best kept architectural secrets: the Ismaili Centre of Dubai. It is a 13,000-square-metre structure designed by the Egyptian duo Rami El Dahan and Soheir Farid, who drew inspiration from Cairo's Fatimid mosques.

The structure was inaugurated in 2008 by Prince Karim, the Aga Khan, in the presence of senior UAE officials. A 3,000-square-metre public neighbourhood park was also created on parts of the land based on Islamic garden themes. The architecture is an amalgamation of everything that is beautiful in Islam.

An artist's rendering shows the pools in the formal garden.