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In a private ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 6, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson installed His Highness the Aga Khan as an honourary Companion of the Order of Canada. The Aga Khan has been Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims since 1957, teaching compassion and tolerance through his commitment to the environment and the ending of human suffering due to poverty. He has selected Ottawa as the headquarters for the new Global Centre for Pluralism.

In the calm of the quiet Swiss commune at whose heart he lived for nearly half a century, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan was today laid to rest following traditional Muslim ceremonies, attended, as he had wished, by his most intimate family.Beneath the arches of the Château de Bellerive, the site of an ancient Cistercian abbey, last respects were paid to the gentle refrain of Quaranic recitation led by Sheikh Ahmed Ahmed Ibrahim who leads the prayers at the late Aga Khan's mausoleum in Aswan, Egypt.

Women, even in the most under-resourced corners of Africa, are finding ways of leading their communities out of economic and social marginalisation.'

President Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright today convened the first White House Conference on Culture and Diplomacy.His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, was among distinguished panellists invited to advise President Clinton and Secretary Albright on the role of culture in foreign policy.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, will present the insignia of Companion of the Order of Canada to His Highness the Aga Khan during a private ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Monday, June 6, 2005, at 6:00 p.m. The appointment is in effect as of October 29, 2004.
The ceremony is not open to the public.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: POOLED COVERAGE ONLY. For more information, please contact John Waterfield, Press Gallery Manager, in Ottawa, at (613) 992-6517. The citation is the following:
HONORARY COMPANION
His Highness the Aga Khan, C.C.
Gouvieux, France

The International Press Institute (IPI) will hold its 2005 World Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, in May, where it will focus attention on what it calls 'the great strides' the country is making, including press freedom and freedom of expression.Eminent public leaders have been invited to speak at the conference, including Nobel Prize winners Wangari Maathai and Wole Soyinka, His Highness the Aga Khan, Graca Machel Mandela and US Senator Barack Obama. Kenya's President, Mwai Kibaki, will open the conference, which runs from 21 to 24 May 2005.
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Son Excellence la très honorable Adrienne Clarkson, Gouverneure générale du Canada, et Son Altesse l'Aga Khan participeront aux séances de cl'ture de la Conférence canadienne du Gouverneur général sur le leadership 2004, du 19 au 21 mai 2004, à Ottawa et Gatineau.Le mercredi 19 mai, à 19 h, Son Altesse l'Aga Khan prononcera l'allocution de cl'ture de la Conférence devant les délégués et les invités réunis au Musée canadien des civilisations à Gatineau.

New initiatives, pluralism and a commitment to the future of AfghanistanBishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, 25th September, 2001-With the world's attention focused on Central Asia, His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, today outlined a development approach sensitive to prevailing concerns about the region.

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) today received a banking licence for The First MicroFinanceBank (FMFB). The institution, with an initial capital of
US$ 5 million, will be the first of its kind to be established under the country's new regulatory structure.

Afghanistan?s second Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) licence was awarded on Saturday to an international consortium with strong regional connections led by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) and comprising Monaco Telecom International (MTI), U.S.-based MCT Corp. and worldwide telecommunications leader Alcatel. The award of the tender to AKFED will now proceed for ratification by the Council of Ministers chaired by President Hamid Karzai.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, and Pakistan?s President Pervez Musharraf yesterday launched two major initiatives: one to address the problem of endemic poverty, and the other to realise more fully the potential of an underdeveloped sector of Pakistan?s economy. These were also amongst topics discussed between the two leaders in private meetings.

His Highness the Aga Khan, arrives here today for a visit to Dubai.During the course of his stay, the Aga Khan is expected to meet with the Rulers of Dubai. The Aga Khan, who has been visiting the Middle East and Gulf region earlier will brief them on the range of activities being undertaken by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in the region.

Prince Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili movement, opened the first microcredit bank in Dushanbe on 5 July, Asia Plus-Blitz reported. Noting that the bank is intended to combat poverty in Tajikistan, Prince Aga Khan said that it will have an investment fund of $3 million and will provide loans to small businesses at 18 percent annual interest. The bank is only the third of its kind in the region; others are located in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Prince Aga Khan also met with Tajik President Rakhmonov on 5 July, Tajik Radio reported.

Consideration of the marine and maritime dimensions of Zanzibar's history and culture, broader tourism opportunities and major education projects were among the expanded development initiatives agreed by His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims during a three-day visit to Tanzania.

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) today announced its intention to establish in Toronto a museum housing exceptional collections of Islamic art and heritage as well as a unique academic and cultural center focused on the study and practice of human pluralism.The museum, which will be the first of its kind in the English speaking world, is expected to include artefacts from renowned private collections including those of His Highness the Aga Khan and of the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London.

His Highness the Aga Khan will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree at the University of Toronto's spring convocation Friday, June 18, at 2:30 p.m. in Convocation Hall, 31 King's College Circle.Media must register in advance by calling 416-978-2105 or e-mailing jessica.whiteside@utoronto.ca by Monday, June 14. Tickets will not be available to the public for this convocation as the Hall is reserved for the members of the graduating class and their guests.

President Pervez Musharraf today inaugurated The First MicroFinanceBank Ltd. in the presence of His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam of the Ismaili Muslims and Chairman of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development.
The Bank, the country?s first private financial institution dedicated to addressing the problems of endemic poverty, starts out with a capital of Rs.500 million contributed by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development

Funeral ceremonies for Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan who died in Boston on 12th May, will be conducted in Geneva, Switzerland.Arrangements have been made for members of the diplomatic corps, government officials and close friends to pay their last respects to Prince Sadruddin at the Chateau de Bellerive, 25 Chemin du Milieu, 1245 Collonge-Bellerive between 3:00 p.m. (1500 hours) and 8:00 p.m. (2000 hours) on Thursday, 15th May, 2003.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and Mr.