Two highly promising middle distance prospects emerged among the three year old colts owned and bred by the Aga Khan Studs last week. Khalkevi, a well bred son of Kahyasi, and the six length winner of his only start at two, kept his unbeaten record when lengthening clear of his rivals in a competitive conditions' race at Maisons-Laffitte on April 19. ...
The wealthy Muslim leader and philanthropist was in Ottawa this week to discover the secret of the nation's multicultural success. But he was critical of the U.S. for its simplistic views of good and evil. 'I will not stigmatize a whole population as being evil, whether they are Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu. I can't do that,' he told John Stackhouse and ...
New Delhi, India, 1 February 2002 - The European Commission has approved a grant of Euro 25.5 million to the Aga Khan Foundation in India to support community based rural development. The grant will contribute towards a long-term programme to enhance and protect livelihoods of disadvantaged rural populations in resource-poor areas of central-west India, where nearly 100 million people depend on ...
The first foal by dual Derby and Arc de Triomphe winner Sinndar and out of multiple Group I winner Timarida has been born at the Aga Khan Studs in Ireland at Gilltown. The Bai colt was foaled on the 31st January, and according to Irish stud manager Pat Downes: "He is a very attractive and correct individual. I am delighted with ...
Breeders' Cup Turf and Dubai Champion Stakes winner Kalanisi has taken up stallion duties alongside Daylami and Sinndar at the Aga Khan's Irish base Gilltown. He will stand the 2002 season at 15,000 euros. Unbeaten in three runs as a three year old, including the Listed Heron Stakes, Kalanisi was kept in training at four. This proved a wise decision as ...
Ottawa, Canada, 30 January 2002 - Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chretien and His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims today together called for an increased commitment to fostering pluralism in societies across both the developing and developed worlds. The Aga Khan was concluding a two day official visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister ...
Expressing his gratitude to the Canadian Government for what he termed "an outstanding partnership," the Aga Khan observed that the programmes on which the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the AKDN had worked together in Africa and South Asia could now be extended further in Central Asia. "The capacity that we have been able to build together and our joint ...
I have to tell you this is my own direct experience, many, many of these situations [of conflict] can be avoided [if] addressed in good time. Many of them. And I really assure you that this is the case. These pockets of extreme poverty, of frustration, of fear of some of these minorities, can be addressed by a direct, focused programme ...
I think there is a much better understanding of the sensitivity of these conflicts and how they become internationalised, how they go far beyond the frontiers of the area. I'm thinking of places like Sri Lanka, and I'm thinking even Northern Ireland. It's not just the Islamic world. It's these conflict situations which pollute and the disease just grows and grows ...
Tokyo, Japan, 21 January 2002 -- His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, today announced at the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan a multiyear commitment of US$75 million by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to help re-build Afghanistan. The recovery, reconstruction and long-term development programme will "span many regions of the country ...
His Highness the Aga Khan would like to announce today a multi-year financial commitment, which will be no less than U.S. $75,000,000, to enable the Aga Khan Development Network to conceptualise and implement a recovery, reconstruction and long-term development programme that will span many regions of the country. It will range in scope from agriculture-based rural development; food and seed security; ...
News story -- As part of this year's conference, the Institute-organised panel entitled "New Directions in Ismaili Studies" showcased pioneering approaches and subject areas in the study of Islam and Ismailism. The Institute also contributed three papers to other sessions: "Egypt in Historical Perspective" and "Shi'i Historiography and Philosophy". As part of the proceedings, Dr Alice C Hunsberger's monograph, Nasir Khusraw, The ...
News story -- IIS contributors photographed at the conferenceThis year's conference, organised by the Society for Iranian Studies with support from the Association for the study of Persianate Societies and the Roshan Cultural Institute, included 50 panels and round-table sessions including more than 150 presentations as well as book and art exhibits and a film festival. International in appeal, the conference attracted ...
News story -- Further Reading and Resource Materials Comparing approaches to jurisprudence and the discourses concerning pluralism amongst Muslims in Indonesia and France, Dr Bowen cited the different intellectual and political histories that inform current debates in both countries. In the case of Indonesia, Dr Bowen argued for an evolution of legal practice that accepts local differences amongst local and world-wide legal ...
Maputo, Mozambique, 14 December 2001 - The Portuguese Agency for Development (Agência Portuguesa para o Apoio ao Desenvolvimento) (APAD) has approved a grant of one million Euros for a long-term rural development programme launched by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and aimed at some 120,000 people in Mozambique's northernmost province of Cabo Delgado. The North Coast Rural Support Programme (NCRSP), initiated ...
Zanzibar, 11 December 2001 -- The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) announced the conclusion of an agreement for a second phase of funding for the Community-Based Rehabilitation Programme in Zanzibar Stone Town. Total funding over a two and a half year period will be Swedish Crowns 4,500,000 (US$ 455,000). The projects will ...
6 December 2001 - The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom and the Aga Khan Development Network have agreed to jointly fund scholarships to students from Iran, Kazakhstan, The Kyrgyz Republic, Syria, Tajikistan (and others to be agreed upon in the future). The scholarships will be tenable at universities in the United Kingdom and will be known as the "Aga ...
News story -- On the evening of September 11, 2000, a special session introducing and launching the Hungarian version of the book was organized in conjunction with the 20th Congress. Prof József Laszlovszky, Head of the Department of Medieval Studies at the Central European University in Hungary began the session with a talk about the importance of The Assassin Legends in the ...
Damascus, Syria, 10 November 2001 - His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims today concluded his eight-day visit to Syria with a second round of extensive discussions with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. The Aga Khan and Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa Miro also signed a Framework Development Agreement between the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and ...
Underlining the long-term nature of the commitment represented by this agreement, the Aga Khan referred to the beginning of a "partnership for development into the future not constrained by time." "We look forward to this collaboration," he said, "so that we can prioritise the greatest necessities where you feel strategies of partnership are most urgent." The Aga Khan and Prime Minister ...
Al Khwabi, Syria, 9 November 2001 - His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, today described how he saw Syria facing the challenges of the future in the context of the current global situation. "In recent years, human society has, sadly, witnessed a polarisation of differences amongst people into all forms of conflict," said the Aga Khan. ...
It is thus clearly evident that peace in the decades ahead can only be achieved when the pluralist nature of human society is understood, valued and built upon to construct a better future. In Islam, the pluralism of human society is well recognised, and the ethics of its multiple interpretations require that this diversity be accorded respect. The shahada -- La-illaha-Illallah-Muhammadur-Rasullilah ...
[Translation] Why is it that we have that impression -- and it's good, I think it is an advantage -- that they [the Ismailis] are more modern, modern in the Western sense? I think that it comes to the same question we discussed previously. Let's go back. How did the Westerners learn about culture, about Greek philosophy? How did they learn ...
Brussels, Belgium, 7 November 2001 - "We need to stimulate all the world's children to become global thinkers," said Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank, at a landmark roundtable on Early Childhood Development (ECD) organised by the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the World Bank. Emphasising the role of culture and the local context in fostering the creative ...
[I]ssues of the change in the rural environment are issues of deep concern to the Islamic world because, as I said yesterday, more than 50% of the Islamic world lives in a rural environment. We cannot, therefore, afford to ignore asking: What are the processes of change in the rural environment and how we can encourage them to progress? We cannot ...
Aleppo, Syria, 6 November 2001- At a ceremony held in Syria at the historical Citadel of Aleppo, His Highness the Aga Khan announced the nine recipients of the 2001 Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and presented a special Chairman's Award to the Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. The occasion completed the eighth cycle of the programme, which has a triennial prize ...
Aleppo, Syria, 6 November 2001 - "A bustan whose glory would stem from the value and legitimacy of the pluralism of the infinite manifestations of culture in the human community." His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, this evening used the metaphor of an orchard to symbolise the intellectual space that offers hope and optimism in the ...
Aleppo, Syria, 6 November 2001 -- World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble gave a special performance on the occasion of the presentation ceremony of the 2001 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. From high atop the Citadel dominating one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and out of its ornate Throne Room, the enchanting melodies of Ahmed Adnan ...
Aleppo, Syria, 6 November 2001 - World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble gave a special performance on the occasion of the presentation ceremony of the 2001 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. From high atop the Citadel dominating one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and out of its ornate Throne Room, the enchanting melodies of Ahmed Adnan ...
Aleppo, Syria, 6 November 2001 - At a ceremony held in Syria at the historical Citadel of Aleppo, His Highness the Aga Khan announced the nine recipients of the 2001 Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and presented a special Chairman's Award to the Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. The occasion completed the eighth cycle of the programme, which has a triennial ...
Aleppo, Syria, 6 November 2001- At a ceremony held in Syria at the historical Citadel of Aleppo, His Highness the AgaKhan announced the nine recipients of the 2001 AgaKhan Award for Architecture, and presented a special Chairman's Award to the Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. The nine projects selected by the independent Master Jury for the 2001 Award are:New Life for ...
Many Muslims today, of which I am one, carry with them a memory of the historical achievements of Islamic civilisations. What is the significance of this historical memory for the Ummah in the contemporary world with its many and varied challenges? How can we look back and reinvigorate aspects of it, and what level of significance should be accorded to it? ...
Damascus, Syria, 3 November 2001 - His Excellency President Bashar Al Assad this morning held discussions with His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims at the People's Palace. The Aga Khan and members of his delegation also met with Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Services, Dr. Naji Otri, and the ...
Lisbon, Portugal, 31 October 2001 - As winter approaches and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan deepens, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal today announced a joint collaboration between the Portuguese Institute of Co-operation (ICP), the Aga Khan Foundation (Portugal) and Focus Humanitarian Assistance Europe Foundation (FOCUS) to provide urgently needed food assistance to displaced populations in Afghanistan. Under an Agreement ...
[Google translation] Indeed, military intervention [in Afghanistan] may not be limited. In a country like Afghanistan where the Taliban decided to resist mountain by mountain, valley by valley, the war may last longer. But I repeat that the reconstruction work must begin now. It passes through the country's liberation, but also by establishing a sort of safety belt around Afghanistan. The ...
[Translation] In fact, in the Shiite credence, one exalts the value of the intellect, of the spiritual guide, therefore of interpretation. But Western thought tends to confuse the bond between spirituality and secularism with a sort of compromise between State and Church. These are different levels, which involve the individual and the community in which one lives, not the political authority ...
News story -- The Institute of Ismaili Studies participated in the 35th Annual Meeting of the Middle Eastern Studies Association of North America (MESA), a leading international academic organisation promoting research on the Middle East and the Muslim world. This year's conference, held from November 17-20, 2001 in San Francisco, California, provided a forum for over 500 presentations and roundtables as well ...
News story -- Based on a series of lectures given at the Institute in May 1999, Beauty and Islam explores aesthetics in classical Islamic thought in the context of contemporary theories. Valérie Gonzalez offers new perspectives on Islamic art and architecture with examples ranging from the Qur'an and the geometry of the Alhambra to the works of present-day artists and philosophers. Tracing ...
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 5 October 2001 - Against the backdrop of a major humanitarian disaster, heightened by tensions of potential international conflict and a massive refugee crisis, Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) is continuing to move ahead with rehabilitation activities in Afghanistan even as it presses forward with its ongoing relief programme across the country. Throughout recent days and weeks, despite the looming ...
