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TEXT OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN HIS HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN AND CHRISTINA PAXSON THE PRESIDENT OF BROWN UNIVERSITY AT OGDEN HALL
FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Christina Paxson: Your Highness, thank you so much for a wonderful talk. And it’s just such a privilege to have you back at Brown again, and with your family and your colleagues and it’s just a real privilege. So thank you very much.

His Highness the Aga Khan: Thank you, President.

This week we travel to outskirts of Hyderabad to interview His Highness The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Ismaili Community and Founder and Chairman of The Aga Khan Development Network. He speaks about how he bridges the east and the west and brings different communities together. He says that the modern world suffers from ignorance rather than civilization. He also speaks about how his academy is devoid of caste, religion and sect. And about how his life changed after the World Trade Centre plane crash in 2001.

Multi-billionaire son of a notorious playboy, His Highness Prince Karim, the fourth Aga Khan, enjoys his jets, yachts, and Thoroughbreds. But since the age of 20, he has also been the spiritual leader of 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims, building a hugely effective global development network. In Chantilly, home to France’s most prestigious horse race, James Reginato explores how the press-shy, Harvard-educated prince, at 76, fuses two worlds.

Robert Dunn: My name is Bob Dunn and I have the privilege of serving as the President of the Synergos Institute.

This is our first University for a Night in Europe, although we have held similar events for more than a decade in New York and quite recently in Johannesburg. It’s really wonderful to see some old friends and some new ones, new faces, and we are, of course, especially honoured to have with us His Highness the Aga Khan and also that we are joined by his daughter and son, Princess Zahra and Prince Rahim.

Peter Mwaura spoke to the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, who is also the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, on a wide range of issues — from media ownership in developing societies to religion, development and the quality of life, as well as the risks that wealth disparities pose to regional economic and political integration

H.H The Aga Khan Interview on CNN: Building boom in the Middle East

Doha is a city that welcomes a slower pace – despite its breakneck pace of development – and it is where I sat down with the Aga Khan, the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismaili followers, for an exclusive interview. The window of time was limited – 10 minutes to be precise – but precious in its outcome.

‘I’d like to see Canada more vigorous,’ he says in a Globe interview covering everything from Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan to the importance of pluralist societies

The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims and renowned philanthropist, spoke to The Globe and Mail Friday in a conversation that ranged from the prospects for Afghanistan to his profound admiration of Canadian pluralism.

Jean-Jacques Lafaye - Votre Altesse, en tant que chef spirituel des communautés ismaéliennes du monde entier, vous exercez une influence indiscutable sur la scène internationale. Pourtant, vous ne souhaitez pas être considéré comme un acteur politique...

Karim Aga Khan - ...ou comme un politicien. De mon point de vue, même si la foi et les États doivent entretenir des rapports de collaboration et d'estime, le religieux et le politique sont deux choses bien distinctes.

Interview with His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV

THE POWER OF WISDOM
(translated from french)
Interview by Jean-Jacques Lafaye

Prince Karim Aga Khan IV
Spiritual leader of the Ismailis since 1957

Jean-Jacques Lafaye
Author and journalist. Founder of the association « Éthique et politique » (1988) Publications include: Saint-Just, l’ombre des chimères, Rocher, 2007; David Shahar, le sacre de l’écriture, Michalon, 2007; Dialogue pour un monde meilleur, Alban, 2008.

Jean-Jacques Lafaye - Votre Altesse, en tant que chef spirituel des communautés ismaéliennes du monde entier, vous exercez une influence indiscutable sur la scène internationale. Pourtant, vous ne souhaitez pas être considéré comme un acteur politique...

Karim Aga Khan - ...ou comme un politicien. De mon point de vue, même si la foi et les États doivent entretenir des rapports de collaboration et d'estime, le religieux et le politique sont deux choses bien distinctes.

La princesse voulait devenir chanteuse quand elle a dû tout abandonner pour s’occuper de Rita Hayworth atteinte de la maladie d’Alzheimer

Interview Caroline Pigozzi - Paris Match

When the Aga Khan stepped onto the University of Alberta campus Tuesday to speak to graduates, he brought a message of ethics, citizenship and respect for diversity.

Addressing a "knowledge deficit" in these areas is essential for pushing global development in the right direction, he told graduates, noting his Aga Khan Development Network has made such virtues a key part of its educational mission.

In an interview with The Journal's Keith Gerein, he expanded upon his remarks, sharing his views on the way forward both for political leaders and ordinary citizens.

Q and A with the Aga Khan
The global spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims holds forth on the state of the world

Published: Friday, November 28, 2008

Following is a transcript of a conversation between His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims, and founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), and Don Cayo of The Vancouver Sun. The interview took place Nov. 23 in Toronto.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLpojwTRKZo

INTERVIEWER: REEM HADDAD

Reem Haddad: Your Highness, is there a message that you would like to leave the Syrian people?

AK: Well first of all, the respect and admiration that I have for Syria in its historic role within the Ummah. Secondly the notion that progress does not mean occidentalisation. Progress in the Ummah means moving forward in quality of life, but not giving up your identity, not giving up your value systems. Indeed our values systems are massively important for the future. [Emphasis original]

Emphasizing that Investment in Culture is Principle in Development,
Prince Karim Aga Khan, in an Exclusive Interview with ‘Al Watan’: My Visit to Syria is Very Special to Me

By Waddah Abed Rabo

Prince Karim Aga Khan, the Imam of the Ismaili Muslim, has accentuated the

Comments by His Highness The Aga Khan at the Press Conference held at the Office of the Prime Minister of Syria, His Excellency Mr.Mohammed Naji Otri after the signing of various Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding between the Institutions of the Imamat and Agencies of Syria

Damascus, Syria

August 25th, 2008

Mr. Prime Minister,

I would like to begin these comments this morning by thanking you and your Government for the very warm welcome that you have accorded to me on this Golden Jubilee visit to Syria.

The Western world should accept that Islam does not separate the world from
faith.

He considers himself a spiritual leader as opposed to a powerful
businessman. He is interested in fighting poverty by promoting
self-sufficiency to people and culture. He believes that calling upon faith
in conflict situations affects all religions. The Aga Khan, spiritual leader
of the Ismaili Muslims, 71 years of age, rarely gives interviews. During his
passage through Lisbon, some days ago, he spoke to P2.

*By António Marujo and Faranaz Keshavjee*

Sameera Gokal: Could you please start off by telling us your name and what cause you
support?

Princess Salimah: My name is Salimah Aga Khan, and I was asked to be the first
International Ambassador for SOS Children’s Villages. I had already been devoted to SOS
Children’s Villages since 1995.

Sameera Gokal: What exactly is your role as an ambassador for SOS?

Princess Salimah: It is … to do as I’m told (laughing). My role is to be a bridge between SOS
and local authorities, and also to go see the villages and mothers. I think it’s a role which I need

SPIEGEL: Your Highness, in a lecture Pope Benedict XVI quoted Emperor Manuel as saying: "Show me just what Muhammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as a command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." This quotation from the 14th century has caused great uproar in the Muslim world. Why? And what was your reaction?

https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2006/09/20060925_me_17.mp3?...

The Aga Khan is a Muslim leader of global stature who rarely appears on the airwaves. He usually prefers to keep his distance from the media — not least because the press has generally proved more interested in his race horses and immense wealth than his humanitarian work.

RENEE MONTAGNE, host: