For USA visit newspapers articles, click here. For Didar info and testimony, click here

April 17 - The Aga Khan, head of the world's 15 million Ismaili Muslims, arrived at Fulton County Airport today to celebrate with his Georgia followers his 50th anniversary as their leader. A band greeted him with the Ismaili anthem and the U.S. national anthem, and a representative from Gov. Sonny Perdue's office as well as local politicians were on hand to welcome him. [Atlanta News] [Atlanta Photo Gallery] [Georgia Photos]

April 15 - (CNN) -The leaders of three world religions will be visiting the United States this week, and although the media spotlight is focused on Pope Benedict XVI and the Dalai Lama, thousands of Ismaili Muslims are celebrating a rare U.S. tour by the Aga Khan. The Aga Khan says a "clash of ignorance" has led to friction between Islam and the West. The Aga Khan doesn't exactly fit the image that may be expected for the spiritual leader of 20 million Ismaili Muslims across the world; he usually wears a suit and tie. But his followers see him as the final authority on interpreting the Quran. One one Muslim scholar said that in that regard, "he is more powerful than the pope." [More here][Photo] [Summary of LA Visit] [Commemoration of LA Visit]

April 15 - The University of Texas has established a five-year exchange agreement with Aga Khan University in Pakistan. The agreement will expand UTeach-Liberal Arts' Muslim Histories and Cultures Program, a training program for Texas high school teachers. [San Antonio]

April 14 - The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims meets with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger [Photos] [More Photos] [More Photos]

April 14 - The University of Texas at Austin has established a five-year exchange agreement with Aga Khan University (AKU) in Pakistan, which has campuses in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The agreement includes research collaborations, special events and lectures, secondary teaching training programs, and faculty and student exchanges. [News]

April 12 - On Thursday, April 17, 2008 Atlanta will welcome His Highness Prince Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of 15 million Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. The Aga Khan, at the invitation of Governor Purdue, will visit Atlanta as a part of four city visit he is undertaking to celebrate his Golden Jubilee, the 50th year as the Imam. He will be in Atlanta for three days following his visits to San Antonio, Los Angeles and Chicago. His visit will witness the gathering of over 25,000 of his followers from over 30 countries. The first day of his visit will be dedicated to private visit with his followers at GICC. [Atlanta Visit]

April 12 - His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, and Texas Governor Rick Perry today hailed a landmark agreement between the Aga Khan University (AKU) and the University of Texas at Austin (UT) as a move towards narrowing the gap between the West and Islam and towards bridging the gulf between the industrialised countries and the developing world. [Press Release] [Texas Gala Photos]

April 12 - ...As many of you know, I was studying in the United States when I succeeded my grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan, as Imam in 1957. My ties here thus go back to the very beginning of my Imamat... [Full Speech]

April 12 - His Highness the Aga Khan and Texas Gov. Rick Perry met at the capitol Saturday in a display of unity and mutual respect. The University of Texas and the Aga Khan University established a partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of understanding.[More]

April 12 - His Highness the Aga Khan and Princess Zahra began their day with a visit to the State Capitol and a meeting with Governor Rick Perry of Texas. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the University of Texas and the Aga Khan University. In the evening, the Governor and First Lady of Texas hosted a gala in honour of His Highness’s Golden Jubilee, during which H.H. the Aga Khan announced the establishment of a new Ismaili Centre to be located in Houston.[More]

11 April 2008 - H.H. The Aga Khan and Princess Zahra walk under a sabre arch salute presented by the Sol Ross volunteers of Texas, as they disembark in Austin, USA. Click for more [Photos]

April 1-13 - Aga Khan Trust for Culture is presenting The Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme Exhibition at the McCord Museum, Montreal, Canada.

April 2 - Aga Khan's cultural centre crown jewel for Don Mills...it will be a full-fledged international destination, a place for all. His Highness was concerned about what kind of image the centre will send to the population at large. He wanted non-Ismailis to feel as welcome as possible, and also to be confronted with the sheer beauty of the complex. [http://www.thestar.com/article/408998]

2008, March 30: Aga Khan opens the Middle East's first Ismaili Centre - His Highness the Aga Khan, Spiritual Leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims has recently officially opened an Ismaili Centre in Dubai - the fast growing metropolis of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). [http://www.ameinfo.com/151602.html]. More click here

2008, March 28 and 29 Princess Zahra and H.H. The Aga Khan's horses are running in Dubai at Nad al Sheba Racecourse, Dubai Sheema Classic saturday 29 March. DARJINA is a filly owned by P Zahra who has good record in French Races. Her jockey would be wearing Brown & Green colours. MOURILYAN who was recently sold by The Aga Khan is also racing.

2008, March 27 - Dubai: Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Shiite Ismaili Muslims, yesterday said that the new Ismaili Centre in Dubai is a place for peaceful contemplation. "It is not a place to hide from the world, but rather a place which inspires us to engage our worldly work as a direct extension of our faith," the Aga Khan told a big gathering at the opening of the Ismaili Centre in Dubai. Gulf News [More of this article, see Forum section]

2008, March 26 - DUBAI (AFP) — The Aga Khan, on Wednesday inaugurated an Ismaili cultural centre in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, the first of its kind in the Middle East. The Ismaili Centre, which houses a library and will host conferences and an early childhood education programme, will serve as "a place for peaceful contemplation," he said at the inauguration ceremony. "It is not a place to hide from the world, but rather a place which inspires us to engage our worldly work as a direct extension of our faith," the Aga Khan said. [Dozens of articles on the visit here] [For Follow-up and testimonies of Dubai visit/Didar see Forum section.] [For Dubai Newspapers reporting, click here[ [Photo 1] [Photo 2] [Photo 3] [Photo 4] [More news and photos scans[]

2008, March 23: General/ HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces received in Abu Dhabi yesterday HH Prince Aga Khan, Leader of the Ismaili community who is currently visiting the country along with his daughter Princess Zahra and his son Prince Rahim. Present during the meeting was Foreign Minister HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. [Emirates News Agency, WAM XB]

23 March 2008 DUBAI - The Ismaili Centre in Dubai will be opened on March 26 by The Aga Khan. As the fourth Ismaili Centre in the world and the first in the Middle East, the opening of this centre is historic for the community. Situated on Oud Metha Road, the centre introduces a timeless statement of Islamic architecture to the contemporary landscape of the Middle East. With the state-of-the-art facilities for lectures, presentations, seminars and conferences, the Ismaili Centre Dubai will host initiatives to enrich dialogue in areas of social, economic and cultural endeavour as well as recitals and exhibitions to educate people on Islamic heritage. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/

23 March 2008 DUBAI Hamdan meets with Aga Khan - 03/25/2008 12:34 AM | WAM - Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, on Monday received Prince Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Islamic Ismaili sect. Shaikh Hamdan and Aga Khan reviewed a number of educational, social and developmental projects implemented by the Aga Khan Foundation in Arab and Islamic countries. Among those present was Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Emiri Flight Authority. [http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Government/10200089.html]

2008.March 21: : According to Chitral News issue of this day, Spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslim community, H. H. Prince Karim Aga Khan is likely to visit Chitral and Northern Areas, later next month tentatively, it was learnt from sources here. The visit would be in connection with the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of his Imamat. The Aga Khan would also call on the President and Prime minister of Pakistan to discuss matters of mutual interest. (CN report).

2008, March 18: According to Eliyas Biryabarema of the Monitor quoted in Business Daily [Nairobi], Euromoney, Europe's top financial magazine, has named two infrastructure projects among Africa's best in 2007. Both the Bujagali hydro-power projects and the construction of the undersea fibre optic cable have a strong involvment from IPS/AKFED.

2008, March 13: Islamic lecture - Sheila Canby, curator of Islamic Art and Antiquities at the British Museum, will speak on "Sufis, Shi'ites and Shahs: the Great Shrines of Iran, 1500-1650" at 6:30 p.m. March 13 in Brown Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet. Canby will examine the roles that the Ardabil Shrine, the Shrine of Imam Riza in Mashhad and the Shrine of Fatimeh Ma'sumeh in Qum played in establishing Shiism as the state religion of Iran. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for the Southwestern United States.

2008, February 29: His Highness the Aga Khan,One Of Four Nominees For 2008 Chatham House Prize.His Highness the Aga Khan, founder of the Aga Khan Development Network. Khan was nominated for his 50 years of work to "improve the living conditions and opportunities for some of the poorest people in conflict-ridden countries regardless of their origin or religion." [AHN]

2008, February 1st: VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire - Jan. 31, 2008) - The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, will speak at the official launch of the Aga Khan Foundation's Bridges That Unite photo exhibit. This bilingual, traveling exhibit explores Canada's role in the world and its 25-year partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation in some of the world's most impoverished regions, with a special focus on countries like Pakistan, India, Kenya, Tajikistan, Mozambique and Afghanistan. DATE: Friday, February 1, 2008 - TIME: 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. LOCATION: Victoria Conference Centre

2008, January 30 – Gouvieux, France - H.H. the Aga Khan, today met with Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), for discussions on joint collaboration between the ADB and AKDN. The meeting preceded the signing of an agreement aimed at expanding the partnership between the two institutions. Prince Amyn Aga Khan, who signed the agreement on the Aga Khan’s behalf, thanked the ADB for its long-standing cooperation and lauded the Bank’s efforts to adopt a new long-term strategy this year in the face of growing challenges and opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region.

2008, January 24: Muslim university to be established by Aga Khan - KARACHI, Pakistan (APP): A Muslim university would be established by the Aga Khan and the Ismaili community with a total investment of about $ 500 million, the president of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council, Iqbal Waljee, said in Karachi on Thursday. He said 1,000 acres of land has been acquired for the purpose on Super Highway in Karachi. The Aga Khan will lay the foundation stone, he said adding that acadamic activity will start from 2011. [More - Dawn]

2008, January 18: Zanzibar - The Aga Khan Trust for Culture will spend 2.6b/- for the rehabilitation of Forodhani park in Zanzibar’s historical Stone Town. Prince Amyn Aga Khan said at the occasion that restoration of Forodhani park was part of Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC)`s long-term objective to revitalise the historical seafront of Stone Town. He said the rehabilitation was a major contribution to the social, cultural and economic development of the island, and that it should lead to its self-sustainability. ``Forodhani park should emerge as self-sustainable through income-generating activities on site from operation and neighbouring development,`` he said. [More]

2007-2008: Portugal has issued stamps and first day cover to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of H.H. The Aga Kan. These are available from the Portugal Post up to 31st January 2008. [More to come]

2008, January 15: The Alliance of Civilizations First Forum will be held in Madrid’s Municipal Convention Centre (Av. de la Capital de España, s/n, 28042 Madrid) on 15 and 16 January, 2008. H.H.The Aga Khan was to attend the Plenary Session. [http://www.madridaocforum.org]

2008, January 14: Four heavily armed Taleban fighters have attacked the Serena hotel in the Afghan capital, Kabul, the main hotel there for international visitors. [More]

2008, January 13: The Aga Khan - A Voice of Reason. The full version is available for purchase. [Click here] to order now. European Premiere in London on January 13, 2008! There was a screening at 6pm (semi-closed) and 8:30pm (open to the public) at a cinema in Central London.

2008, January 7: : ISLAMABAD: Prince Aga Khan has condoled with the Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Senator Asif Ali Zardari over the death of his wife Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. His Highness Aga Khan in a condolence letter wrote, "It was with immense sadness that I learnt that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had passed away in the most tragic circumstances. To you and your family, I express my deepest and most heartfelt condolences. In the tradition of her family, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto dedicated her life to the people of Pakistan, seeking through her constant and energetic efforts to contribute to the development of her country, and a future of social and economic equity, progress and opportunity for all sectors of the population. She will be sadly mourned by the very many Pakistanis who looked to her for strength and support in their quest for a better quality of life and a better future." His Highness further wrote, "My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time of deeply painful bereavement, and I share with you my prayers for the peace and progress of the nation of Pakistan."

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