Aga Khan Centre has been opened by the Prince of Wales at an inauguration ceremony hosted by the Aga Khan in King’s Cross, London, according to a press statement received in Dhaka yesterday.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Foreign Office Minister for Human Rights Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon among others were present at the function.

The inauguration took place as part of Aga Khan Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini’s visit to the UK. This year marks the Aga Khan’s  Diamond Jubilee - 60 years of his role as Imam (spiritual leader) of the global Shia Ismaili Muslim community. For six decades, the Aga Khan has helped transform the quality of life of millions around the world through initiatives in health, education, cultural revitalisation and economic empowerment.  

Aga Khan Centre in King’s Cross is a place for education, knowledge, cultural exchange and insight into Muslim civilisations.

It is home to a number of organisations including The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS), the Aga Khan University Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (AKU-ISMC), and the Aga Khan Foundation UK (AKF UK).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, commented on the importance of understanding the intellectual and cultural contributions that Islamic civilisations have made to the world.

The Aga Khan expressed his strong expectation that “from this new home, these education-oriented institutions would contribute powerfully to building new bridges of understanding across the gulfs of ignorance.”

The Aga Khan was accompanied at the inauguration by members of his family including his brother Prince Amyn Aga Khan, his daughter Princess Zahra, his son Prince Rahim with his wife Princess Salwa, and sons Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad.

London has been a home for the educational and international development institutions now housed at AKC for forty years, due in large part to the city’s role as an international centre that has a pluralistic outlook and respects the free exchange of ideas. The thriving King’s Cross neighbourhood is a natural fit for these organisations.