Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

May 28, 2010 : H.H. The Aga Khan will be attending the foundation ceremony of the High Profile Jamatkhana and the Ismaili museum in Toronto. The Ismaili Centre is an 80,000 square foot two-storey building housing a Prayer Hall, entrance foyers and cloakrooms, social hall, library, meeting rooms, administrative offices, main council chamber room, associated facilities such as washrooms, kitchens, etc. and a two level underground parking garage with a capacity of approximately 300 parking spaces.

Prince Amyn Mohammed displays the silver trowel after placing the last brick at the "topping out" ceremony at the Ismaili Centre in London on 13th May 1982. As guest of honour at the ceremony held on the roof of the nearly completed Ismaili Centre in central London, Prince Amyn Mohammed said that the Centre has the "the difficult vocation of bridging East and West, of bringing together strong and brilliant cultures."

I was hosted to lunch at the Aga Khan's residence on the Isle de la Cite in the River Seine. It is a charming old property located on the same island as the Notre Dame Cathedral. Our conversation followed on our last meeting in Singapore last December. The Aga Khan has since decided to establish an Ismaili base in Singapore for his Foundation's work. I welcomed it and promised to facilitate its materialisation. There are a number of areas where Singapore and the Aga Khan Foundation can work together to develop capacity in developing countries.

Development agencies for the Aga Khan recently announced details, which will include a pair of buildings on a 17-acre suburban site: a religious and community center by Correa and a new Islamic art museum by Maki.