Gems of Wisdom

Over several decades, the Ismaili Imamat developed a close relationship with the government of Portugal, which culminated in an agreement in 2015 to establish a Seat of the Ismaili Imamat there. The Aga Khan spoke about this relationship and the significance of the Seat in this speech to the Portuguese Parliament on 10 July 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. Click here to read the speech.

Charitable giving is closely linked with religions, and can take on many forms, including gifts of time, talent, and funds. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV discussed Islam’s traditions of giving in this speech at the Conference of Indigenous Philanthropy on 17 October 2000 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Click here to read the speech.

In 2006, a Danish newspaper sparked a global controversy by publishing a series of offensive drawings of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny. Protests and violence erupted around the world, amidst a vigorous debate about freedom and responsibility. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV spoke about the need for more pluralistic societies in the following excerpts of this speech at t...

To address the unique challenges faced by people living in mountain societies, particularly in Central Asia in the post-Cold War period, His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV worked with the governments of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan to establish the University of Central Asia, or UCA. He spoke about the vision for the university in this speech at the inauguration of the first...

Global citizenship refers to the idea that all people are connected not just with one country but with a broader global community, and requires a steadfast commitment to the ideals of belonging and inclusion. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV discussed the importance of global citizenship in the face of growing challenges to pluralism in this speech, made upon receiving the inaugural Adrienne...

In Islamic belief, humans are entrusted with the responsibility to care for our worldly environment. In order to combat the threat of climate change, greater focus needs to be placed on finding renewable energy sources. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV addressed the relationship between environmental goals and development goals in this speech at the foundation ceremony of the Bujagali hydropo...

The Madrasa Early Childhood Programme is a partnership between the Aga Khan Foundation and local Muslim organisations, through which over 200 preschools have been established in communities in East Africa. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV discussed the importance of early childhood development, a period in which the human brain develops most quickly, in this speech at the 25th anniversary of...

In previous episodes, we have heard His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV speak about the role of education in strengthening developing societies. He had also discussed the important role that universities and other educational institutions can play in areas relevant to the field of international development, such as government, civil society, ethical literacy, and pluralism. He addressed these is...

High quality education is a critical way to promote the long-term development of societies by nurturing the growth of future leaders. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV spoke about the vision of the Aga Khan Academies in this speech at the foundation ceremony of the Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 20 May 2008. Click here to read the speech.

The Muslim world has rich and diverse architectural traditions stretching back centuries. However, in the modern age, these traditions were being lost and were in need of being revitalised. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV was awarded the National Building Museum’s Vincent Scully Prize in 2005 and participated in a seminar where he made this speech on 26 January 2005 in Washington, DC. Click...

For several decades, Western countries have promoted democratic governance in many parts of the world, including Muslim societies. However, many democracies have struggled in recent years. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV outlined his views on how to strengthen democracy in this speech at the International New York Times Athens Democracy Forum, held on 15 September 2015 in Athens, Greece. Cli...

Despite significant progress in maternal, newborn, and child health globally, many preventable maternal deaths still occur in developing countries, where many women are not attended to by a trained midwife, nurse or doctor during childbirth. His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV addressed this topic and AKDN’s related initiatives in this speech at the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Summit held...

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture has invested in cultural heritage projects in various countries, including revitalising Islamic monuments and gardens. This includes a series of interconnected heritage projects in New Delhi, India, which His Highness the Aga Khan discussed in this speech at the inauguration of the Sunder Nursery, held on 21 February 2018. Click here to read the speech.

In our previous episode, we heard the His Highness the Aga Khan’s commencement speech at Brown University in 1996. Eighteen years later, he was invited to Brown University again to deliver the 88th Stephen Ogden Lecture on 10 March 2014. The Aga Khan reflected on the changes in the world over this period, often linked to individuals learning to live amongst increasing diversity. Click here to read...

The Soviet Union fell in 1991, ending a decades-long ideological conflict with the United States known as the Cold War. The years that followed saw considerable change around the world, including growing perceptions of a so-called Clash of Civilisations between the Muslim world and the West. His Highness the Aga Khan addressed this changing landscape and the gulf of knowledge between the West and...

His Highness the Aga Khan established the Nation Media Group in 1960 to be a fair-minded, independent media voice to assist in East Africa’s peaceful transition to democracy. To mark the Nation Media Group’s 50th anniversary, the Aga Khan reflected on the role of media in Africa’s development in this speech on 18 March 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. Click here to read the speech. 

Many modern leaders and thinkers have been trying to determine how the Muslim world can reclaim the position of intellectual and cultural leadership in the world that it once held. His Highness the Aga Khan reflected on this question in this speech at the 25th anniversary graduation of The Institute of Ismaili Studies, held in London on 19 October 2003. Click here to read the speech.

Civil society is that part of society, distinct from the state, government and business, in which citizens create organisations that are private and motivated to enhance the public good. His Highness the Aga Khan spoke about the important role of a strong civil society in this speech to the Parliament of Canada on 27 February 2014. It was the first time in Canadian history that a faith leader had...

In 2015, His Highness the Aga Khan was invited to deliver the prestigious Jodidi lecture at Harvard University, the university that he graduated from in 1959. In this speech, made on 12 November 2015, he addressed the topic of “The Cosmopolitan Ethic in a fragmented world.” Click here to read the speech.

To assist the development of several former Soviet republics in Central Asia as they transitioned into independent nations, the Aga Khan Development Network began to establish various institutions, particularly in education. His Highness the Aga Khan spoke about what constitutes a successful education in the modern world in this speech at the opening of the Aga Khan School in Osh in the Kyrgyz Rep...

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture converted a centuries-old rubbish dump in historic Cairo into the spectacular Al-Azhar Park. This was the first of several parks and gardens that have become catalysts for change in many ways - environmental, social, economic, and educational. His Highness the Aga Khan addressed the evolution of the Al-Azhar Park project in this speech at the inauguration ceremony on...

The 9/11 terrorist attacks that took place in the United States in 2001 have had a profound impact on the relationship between Western societies and Muslim-majority societies. His Highness the Aga Khan visited the United States the following year and made this speech in Houston on 23 June 2002, at a banquet attended by the Governor of Texas, other government officials, and civil society leaders.  ...

Centuries ago, Muslim societies were among the leading civilisations in the world, driven by and building upon the discovery of new knowledge. His Highness the Aga Khan raised the question of how modern Muslim societies can strengthen themselves by becoming leading participants in today’s knowledge society in this speech at the Aga Khan University’s convocation in Karachi, Pakistan on 6 December 2...

As a strong proponent of pluralism, His Highness the Aga Khan has often emphasised its spiritual roots, in various world religions. He was presented with the Tolerance Award by the Tutzing Evangelical Academy in Germany, where he delivered this speech on 12 February 2006.  Click here to read the speech.

Diverse Muslim societies and communities are searching for ways to bridge the traditional teachings of Islam with the modern challenges of today’s world. His Highness the Aga Khan delivered this Presidential address at the International Seerat Conference, a gathering of Islamic scholars hosted by the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs in Karachi, on 12 March 1976.    Click here to read th...