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Lisbon, Portugal, 12 May 2016 – His Highness the Aga Khan is in Portugal for his first visit since a landmark agreement establishing the global Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal came into effect.

Yesterday, the Aga Khan – Imam (leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) – met with Foreign Affairs Minister Augusto Santos Silva before meeting with the President of the Portuguese Republic, His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who also hosted a private dinner in his honour.

ISMAILI IMAMAT AGREEMENT WITH PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT

Both Parties assume, as common objectives, the defence of human dignity, economic and social development, interfaith dialogue and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, as ways of achieving justice and peace;
Affirming the interest of both Parties in the establishment of the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in the territory of the Portuguese Republic and their common will mutually to respect each other’s autonomy in the context of the mutual trust and esteem which has traditionally characterised their relationship;
Agree as follows:

The Minister of State and Foreign Affairs, Rui Machete, received today the leader of the Ismaili community, Prince Aga Khan, for a working lunch followed by the signing of an agreement between Portugal and the Ismaili Imamat.

O príncipe Aga Khan admite investir na saúde e em serviços de protecção social em Portugal. O PÚBLICO sabe que no discurso que o líder da comunidade Ismaili profere ao princípio da tarde desta quarta-feira no Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros, após a assinatura do acordo que estabelece a sede global da sua comunidade em Portugal, essa questão será referida.

Lisbon, June 3rd 2015 -- Portugal’s Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Rui Machete and His Highness the Aga Khan today signed a landmark Agreement between the Republic of Portugal and the Ismaili Imamat for the establishment of a formal Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal. The Agreement marks the first such accord in the Imamat’s modern history. It will come into effect once it has been approved by Portugal’s Parliament and ratified by the President of the Portuguese Republic.

Professor Oliveira,
Minister of National Defence, Mr Nuno Severiano Teixeira,
Minister of Culture, Mr Pinto Ribeiro,
Apostolic Nuncio, Rino Passagata,
Excellencies,
Members of the Academy,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is an immense honour for me to be here today and to have been admitted to the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon. It reminds me of the day on which I was given an honorary doctorate from the University of Evora. And I do not want to let this occasion pass, without recollecting that very, very special day.