Lisbon, 7 September 2013 – Mawlana Hazar Imam is in Portugal for the 12th cycle of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, which was presented yesterday at Lisbon’s São Jorge Castle. As part of his visit Hazar Imam also held meetings with a number of senior Portuguese officials, and presided over the signing ceremony of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the Catholic University of Portugal and the Aga Khan University.

In 1970s, a group of intellectuals came together at Aiglemont, France, to bend their minds towards a pressing problem: how to arrest the decline of architectural traditions across the Muslim world and help these societies rediscover the confidence to shape their built environments in the image of their own values and identities? Journalist Ayesha Daya describes how the questions they raised, their deliberations and debates gave way to the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

As rains pounded southern Alberta and water levels rose earlier this summer, states of emergency were declared in Calgary and other communities across the province. Ismaili institutions and volunteers quickly organised themselves to ensure the safety of the Jamat and to assist their fellow citizens in the wake of the disaster.

The Cancer Rehabilitation Centre at Prince Aly Khan Hospital in Mumbai recognises that for a cancer patient to make a healthy recovery, they require more than state-of-the-art medical treatment. Volunteers at the Centre – many of whom are cancer survivors themselves – offer everything from physical and emotional support to cosmetic rehabilitation.

Samina Baig, the first Ismaili Muslim woman and the first Pakistani female to climb Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, marked a unique historical achievement as she unfurled the national flag of Pakistan and the Ismaili flag on the summit. She hopes that her achievement will inspire the millions of women in Pakistan so that they too can achieve their dreams.

A Golden Jubilee International Programme, RAYS OF LIGHT: Glimpses into the Ismaili Imamat, will make its much-anticipated Canadian debut in Edmonton on 4 July 2013. The exhibition provides a unique opportunity for the Jamat and the wider public to understand the scope and scale of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s tremendous work across the globe.

At a special event held at the Ismaili Centre, Prince Amyn spoke in honour of the illustrious career of Professor Charles Correa, and acknowledged his long-standing partnership with the AKDN.

Hangzhou, China, 15 May 2013 – Mawlana Hazar Imam delivered the keynote address today at the Hangzhou International Congress "Culture: Key to Sustainable Development" organised by UNESCO, the People’s Republic of China and the Hangzhou Municipal Government. 

Positive mental health allows an individual to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and contribute to their community and family. But changes in socioeconomic conditions can impact mental wellbeing. In times of economic difficulty, it is particularly important to maintain and improve our mental health and lifestyles.