During the last five years, from 2017 to 2022, Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Imamat has been shaped by his Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Covid-19 pandemic, and a commitment to helping vulnerable communities live better lives despite the global threat of climate change.

The Diamond Jubilee began on 11 July 2017, when Jamati leaders from around the world paid homage to Mawlana Hazar Imam at his residence in Aiglemont, marking the 60th year of his Imamat. Across the globe, members of the Jamat gathered to watch the ceremony and to celebrate this historic event.

Over the next 12 months, Mawlana Hazar Imam visited the Jamats in Uganda, Tanzania, Pakistan, the UAE, India, USA, Kenya, Canada, France, the UK, and Portugal. During each visit, the Imam was honoured by members of government and civil society. This included receiving Uganda’s highest honour, the Most Excellent Order of the Pearl of Africa, the UN Foundation’s Champion of Change Award, and the Asia Society’s Game Changer Lifetime Achievement Award.

As with previous Jubilees, Mawlana Hazar Imam continued to establish new institutions throughout the Diamond Jubilee year. These included attending the first Global Pluralism Award ceremony in Ottawa and inaugurating the AKU Centre for Innovation in Medical Education in Karachi, the Sunder Nursery in Delhi, and the Aga Khan Centre in London. 

In addition, commencing global leadership for the newly formed Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) meant redoubling efforts to enable communities living in dangerous places – notably in the high disaster-prone mountains of Central Asia – to respond effectively to the daunting effects of climate change.

“His Highness observed, earlier than most of us, that the risks were getting worse,” said Onno Ruhl, General Manager of AKAH, about communities living in the so-called roof of the world. “He realised that in order to improve the quality of life in rural and mountainous communities, you need to be more ambitious in what you pursue in terms of risk management, in terms of preparedness, so that people survive and thrive, despite the risks.”

Today, AKAH is helping communities in both dense urban centres and remote mountain villages to combat climate change by rethinking the ways buildings are designed, constructed and operated – putting green building principles at the heart of development. More broadly, these principles are leading AKDN’s efforts to green the built environment across all its institutions and programmes and reach net zero carbon by 2030.

The Jubilee year culminated with the Diamond Jubilee Celebration in Lisbon, in which some 40,000 Ismailis from over 45 countries came together for a joyous weeklong celebration. During this visit, Mawlana Hazar Imam was given State honours during a visit to the Presidential Palace and delivered an address to the Portuguese Parliament. At a concluding ceremony held on 11 July 2018, Mawlana Hazar Imam officially designated the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat, followed by a Darbar with members of the global Jamat.

At the designation ceremony, Mawlana Hazar Imam explained the reasons for establishing the Seat in Portugal:

“Over the years, the Portuguese have shown friendship, understanding, and a warm welcome to the Jamat as well as to the Imamat. Ours is a relationship grounded in the shared values of religious freedom, tolerance, and pluralism. I believe, alongside strengthening the Imamat’s capacities, this will also enable our institutions to make a constructive and beneficial contribution to areas of mutual interest.”

Following the Diamond Jubilee year, Mawlana Hazar Imam’s institutional activities continued. AKDN’s cultural activities were further strengthened with the Imam attending the inauguration of the Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton and the first prize-giving ceremony of the Aga Khan Music Awards in Lisbon.

Over the course of the last 65 years, Mawlana Hazar Imam has received more than 70 international honours, awards, and honorary degrees from various governments, universities, and civil society organisations.

These include honorary degrees from the University of Calgary, the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University received in 2018, and the keys to the city of Porto in Portugal in 2019.

Starting in March 2020, in the face of Covid-19 lockdowns and the closure of Jamatkhanas around the world, Mawlana Hazar Imam led the Jamati and AKDN institutions in their pandemic response. He also gave guidance to the Jamat by sending numerous messages and Talikas that were distributed online. The Imam emphasised the importance of following public health measures to keep individuals, families, and communities safe. He also emphasised the importance of abiding by the historic values of our Jamat, such as voluntary service, caring for others – particularly those in greatest need – and the importance of private, personal prayer.

In 2021, Mawlana Hazar Imam spoke virtually at AKU’s Global Virtual Convocation, AKU’s Kenya Charter Granting Ceremony, and the first Convocation of the University of Central Asia.

On 13 December 2021, Mawlana Hazar Imam celebrated his 85th birthday with members of his family. In a Talika Mubarak sent on that occasion, our beloved Imam said:

“It is my conviction that the traditional values of our Tariqah – of commitment to the faith, unity, self-reliance, care and generosity for others – will serve the Jamat well as we plan for the future… I send my most affectionate loving blessings for your good health and happiness, spiritual progress, worldly success, strength of faith, and unity, with best loving blessings for mushkil-asan. You are all most particularly in my heart, in my thoughts, and in my prayers.”

In this series, we have reflected on the immense scope and impact of the work of the Imamat since 1957. This work has demonstrated Mawlana Hazar Imam’s tireless efforts, not only for the benefit of the Jamat, but for humanity at large. He has guided the Jamat through periods of struggle and turmoil, and has prepared us to look to the future with a sense of confidence, fortitude, and hope.