Speeches of His Highness the Aga Khan IV

His Highness The Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary imam of the Shi‘a Ismaili Muslims, is the founder, and Chairman of the Board of Governors, of The Institute of Ismaili Studies. In this capacity, he guides the Institute’s mandate, strategies, and programmes. His Highness’ vision for the Institute is a part of a larger aspiration that he has expressed for Muslims and the societies in which they live. Over the past four decades, he has articulated various facets of this larger vision in his speeches delivered in varying cultural and geographical settings, a selection from which appears on this website. The speeches must, of course, be understood in their proper historical context.

1. 
   
   “Global Education and the Developing World” “The Peterson Lecture” by His Highness the Aga Khan to the Annual Meeting of the International Baccalaureate, marking its 40th Anniversary, April 18, 2008, USA
   
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Closing Address by His Highness the Aga Khan at the “Musée-Musées” Round Table Louvre Museum, October 17, 2007, Paris, France
   
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Address by His Highness the Aga Khan at the Commencement Ceremony of the American University in Cairo, June 15, 2006, Egypt
   
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Address by His Highness the Aga Khan to the Tutzing Evangelical Academy Upon Receiving the "Tolerance" Award, May 20, 2006, Tutzing, Germany
   
   
   
   
5. 
   
   Address by His Highness the Aga Khan to the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, May 15, 2006, New York, USA
   
   
   
   
6. 
   
   Remarks at the International Symposium: “Cosmopolitan Society, Human Safety and Rights in Plural and Peaceful Societies”at the University of Évora, February 12, 2006, Evora, Portugal
   
   
   
   
7. 
   

   Speech at the Foundation Ceremony of the Aga Khan Academy, Maputo, June 25, 2004, Matola, Mozambique

   
   
8. 
   

   Convocation Address to Graduates of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, June 18, 2004, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

   
   
9. 
   

   Keynote Address at the 2004 Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, May 19, 2004, Quebec, Canada

   
   
10. 
    

    Speech at the Foundation Laying Ceremony of the Ismaili Centre, December 13, 2003, Dubai

    
    
11. 
    

    Address to 2003 Aga Khan University Convocation, December 6, 2003, Karachi, Pakistan

    
    
12. 
    

    Address at the 25th Anniversary Graduation Ceremony of The Institute of Ismaili Studies, October 19, 2003, Le Meridien Grosvenor House Hotel

    
    
13. 
    

    Speech at the Opening Session of ‘Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur’an and its Creative Expressions’, An International Colloquium organised by The Institute of Ismaili Studies, October 19, 2003, The Ismaili Centre, London

    
    
14. 
    

    Address at the Foundation Stone Ceremony of The Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe, August 30, 2003, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

    
    
15. 
    

    Keynote Speech Concluding the Prince Claus Fund's Conference on Culture and Development, September 7, 2002, Amsterdam

    
    
16. 
    

    Remarks at the Opening of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, June 26, 2002, Washington, DC, USA.

    
    
17. 
    

    Speech at the Banquet Hosted in Honour of Governor Perry, June 23, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA.

    
    
18. 
    

    Speech at the Inauguration of the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center, Houston, June 23, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA.

    
    
19. 
    

    Speech at the 2001 Award Presentation Ceremony of The Aga Khan Award For Architecture, November 6, 2001, The Citadel, Aleppo, Syria.

    
    
20. 
    

    Speech at the Centenary Celebration Meeting, Association of American Universities, April 22, 2001, Washington, DC, USA.

    
    
21. 
    

    Speech at the White House Conference on Culture and Diplomacy, November 28, 2000, Washington, DC, USA.

    
    
22. 
    

    Speech at the Conference on Indigenous Philanthropy, October 17, 2000, Islamabad, Pakistan.

    
    
23. 
    

    Speech at The Foundation Stone Ceremony of The Lisbon Ismaili Centre, December 18, 1996 Lisbon, Portugal.

    
    
24. 
    

    Baccalaureate Address at Brown University, May 26, 1996 Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

    
    
25. 
    

    Keynote Address at the Commonwealth Press Union Conference, October 17, 1996, Cape Town, South Africa.

    
    
26. 
    

    Commencement Speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, May 27, 1994, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

    
    
27. 
    
    “The Enabling Environment: An Urgent Challenge”, Keynote Address at the International Development Conference, March 18, 1987, Washington, DC, USA.
    
    
    
    
28. 
    
    Speech at the Graduation Ceremony Organised by the Institute of Ismaili Studies and the University of London Institute of Education, July 7, 1983, London, United Kingdom.
    
    
    
    
29. 
    

    Speech to the Asia Society, September 25, 1979, New York, USA.

    
    
30. 
    

    Presidential Address at the International Seerat Conference, March 12, 1976, Karachi, Pakistan.

    
    
31. 
    

    Convocation Address at the University of Sind, February 6, 1970, Hyderabad, Pakistan.

    
    
32. 
    

    Convocation Address at Peshawar University, November 30, 1967, Peshawar, Pakistan.

    
    
33. 
    

    Presidential Address at the First Anniversary of Mindanao University, November 24, 1963, Manilla, Philippines.