Gems of Wisdom

The Ismaili Centres are high profile, ambassadorial buildings. They incorporate a Jamatkhana as a place of prayer for the Ismaili community, alongside secular spaces that also serve wider society. Jamatkhanas are one of the diverse spaces of worship found among Muslim communities globally. His Highness the Aga Khan gave this speech on 13 December 2003 at the foundation ceremony of the Ismaili Cent...

The architecture of the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa, Canada is inspired by the mysteries of rock crystal. His Highness the Aga Khan spoke about this symbolism and of the relationship between the Ismaili Imamat and Canada in this speech at the opening ceremony on 6 December 2008.   Click here to read the speech. 

While rich musical traditions exist in Muslim societies, some interpretations of Islam reject music as not permissible. His Highness the Aga Khan spoke about the importance of the musical traditions of the Muslim world in this speech at the first prize-giving ceremony of the Aga Khan Music Awards on 31 March 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal.   Click here to read the speech. 

The Holy Qur’an has been a source of inspiration for Muslims through the ages. His Highness the Aga Khan delivered this opening address at an international conference titled “Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur’an and its Creative Expressions,” organised by The Institute of Ismaili Studies on 19 October 2003 in London. Click here to read the speech.

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture was created in 1977 to help revitalise the rich Muslim architectural traditions that were being lost in the modern world. His Highness the Aga Khan spoke about the impact and future direction of the award at the 13th prize-giving ceremony held on 6 November 2016 in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.   Click here to read the speech.

In a globalised world, one of the major challenges is that diverse peoples, cultures, and religions are increasingly in contact with one another, which, at times, leads to conflict and even violence. His Highness the Aga Khan has been a major champion for pluralism, valuing diversity as a strength rather than a threat. He delivered this LaFontaine-Baldwin Lecture on the 15th of October 2010 in Tor...

In societies that face pressing social and economic needs, investing in cultural heritage is sometimes considered wasteful or excessive. His Highness the Aga Khan has long argued that protecting and revitalising cultural heritage is a positive contributor to the socio-economic development of societies. He delivered this keynote address at the 50th anniversary conference of the International Counci...

His Highness the Aga Khan has, over many decades, argued for the importance of investing in high quality education for all. He considers an educated population essential for a peaceful, stable and productive society. The Aga Khan delivered the Peterson Lecture at the annual meeting of the International Baccalaureate on 18 April 2008 in Atlanta, USA.   Click here to read the speech.