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The Aga Khan arrived in Tajikistan today accompagnied with Prince Rahim and Prince Amyn for the inauguration of the Dushanbe Serena Hotel. On October 31, His Highness the Aga Khan and President Emomali Rahmon will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of a new Tajik-Afghan bridge over the Panj River in Shouroobod district.

Prince Amyn Mohamed Aga Khan gave an address followed by H.H. The Aga Khan and President Rahmon of Tajikistan

October 21, 2008, Asia-Plus -- Prince Amyn Aga Khan, younger brother of His Highness the Aga Khan, is arriving in Dushanbe today afternoon for a short visit, according to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Dushanbe Office. During his stay in Dushanbe, Prince Amyn Aga Khan is expected to review AKDN programs in Tajikistan, including project for construction of the Dushanbe Serena Hotel. http://www.asiaplus.tj/en/news/16/40764.html [Author: Victoria Naumova]

June 1, 2009: Dushanbe, Tajikistan - Asia-Plus -- Prince Rahim Aga Khan, first son of His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, is arriving in Tajikistan tomorrow on a three-working visit. Read the news [here] [Photos]

2009, October 12: DUSHANBE, Tajikistan - Asia-Plus -- President Emomali Rahmon and His Highness the Aga Khan, the Spiritual Leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, officially opened The Ismaili Center in Dushanbe today afternoon. The opening ceremony was attended by high-ranking Tajik state officials. [More on this visit]

The Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe was opened on 12 October 2009 by His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, and Mawlana Hazar Imam. It was the first such Centre in Central Asia — a region that has been home to Ismaili Muslims for more than a thousand years.

The Swiss Fela company has recently delivered satellite equipment for a monitoring system and for early warnings at Lake Sarez [over 3,000 m up in the Pamirs in eastern Tajikistan] to Tajikistan, Rustam Bobojonov, coordinator of a World Bank project on reducing the risk of Lake Sarez overflow, told Avesta on 4 August.He said the total cost of the equipment is 1.5m dollars.

Tajikistan's national airline on Thursday began passenger service to Afghanistan and officials announced plans to build five bridges connecting the countries.
Both moves apparently reflect increased confidence in Afghanistan's stability following the fall of the Taliban and growing recognition of Tajikistan's importance as a conduit for aid and materiel badly needed by Afghanistan.
The Tajikistan Airlines decision to open service between Dushanbe and Kabul, the Afghan capital, was largely in response to demand by businessmen, airline officials said. The flights are expected to go once a week.

Two experts from the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) are in [Tajikistan's] Mountainous Badakhshon Autonomous Region to see for themselves the condition of the Pamir-1 hydroelectric power station, particularly its tunnel, Asia-Plus learnt from an official from the organization, Matthew Scanlon. He said that AKFED intends to provide Pamir-1 with financial assistance as its first investment. The funds will be used to buy spare parts for turbines, a transformer and other components, and also to prepare for the autumn and winter seasons.

The Aga Khan, billionaire spiritual leader of the Ismaili sect of Islam on Saturday attended with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov a ceremony laying the foundations of Central Asia?s first Ismaili centre in Tajikistan?s capital Dushanbe. Prince Karim Aga Khan is funding the construction of the religious and cultural centre. He will also finance the construction of a five star hotel in Dushanbe, Rakhmonov said. There are 15 million Ismaili Muslims throughout the world, including some 200,000 in Tajikistan.

The spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan, today inaugurated a new bridge crossing a river between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.The 100-meter-long bridge across the Pyandzh river was created to promote trade between the two neighbors. It is the second bridge built in Tajikistan's southeastern Gorno-Badakhshan region and funded by the Aga Khan Development Network, which started funding developments in Tajikistan in 1993.

The foundation stone of The Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe was laid on Monday afternoon by Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmonov on a 25,500 square-metre site in the centre of the city.President Rahmonov underlined the commitment of his government to provide enabling conditions for the development of institutions promoting 'freedom of conscience, pluralism and faith' as well as 'exchange of opinions and national accord in society.'

Your Excellency President Rahmonov,Your Worship the Mayor of Dushanbe,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
This ceremony represents a milestone in the history of the Ismaili Muslim Community?s presence in Central Asia, a presence which dates back to the second century of Islam. For me personally, as the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismailis, this is a day of great happiness. It is also fitting that the foundation ceremony of a landmark cultural and religious centre should coincide with the celebration of the one thousandth anniversary of the birth of Syedna Nasir Khusraw.

H.H. The Aga Khan, arrived at 5:00 PM at the Dushanbe Airport on August 29 where a large crowd was waiting to welcome him.On 30th of August, he attended the Dushanbe International Fresh Water Forum which is one of the main event of this 2003 Water Year. The Forum is held from 29th August to September 1st and the whole city is filled with boards and colourful reminders of this event.

His Highness the Aga Khan today launched a landmark cultural centre here marking a milestone in the 1300 year history of the Ismaili Muslim community in Central Asia.
The Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe, when completed, will be comparable in scope and standing to existing major centres in London, Vancouver and Lisbon and those at advanced planning stages in Toronto and Dubai.

The Swiss Fela company has recently delivered satellite equipment for a monitoring system and for early warnings at Lake Sarez [over 3,000 m up in the Pamirs in eastern Tajikistan] to Tajikistan, Rustam Bobojonov, coordinator of a World Bank project on reducing the risk of Lake Sarez overflow, told Avesta on 4 August.He said the total cost of the equipment is 1.5m dollars.

Tajikistan's national airline on Thursday began passenger service to Afghanistan and officials announced plans to build five bridges connecting the countries.
Both moves apparently reflect increased confidence in Afghanistan's stability following the fall of the Taliban and growing recognition of Tajikistan's importance as a conduit for aid and materiel badly needed by Afghanistan.
The Tajikistan Airlines decision to open service between Dushanbe and Kabul, the Afghan capital, was largely in response to demand by businessmen, airline officials said. The flights are expected to go once a week.

Two experts from the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) are in [Tajikistan's] Mountainous Badakhshon Autonomous Region to see for themselves the condition of the Pamir-1 hydroelectric power station, particularly its tunnel, Asia-Plus learnt from an official from the organization, Matthew Scanlon. He said that AKFED intends to provide Pamir-1 with financial assistance as its first investment. The funds will be used to buy spare parts for turbines, a transformer and other components, and also to prepare for the autumn and winter seasons.

Winners of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture have been presented with their prizes at a ceremony at the Alhambra Palace, in Grenada, Spain.

Pakistani architect Nayyar Ali-Dada: Is there such a thing as Islamic architecture?
The award, established in 1977, aims to encourage architecture which respects the traditions of Muslim societies while responding creatively to the changing needs in the industrialised Islamic world.

The seven winning projects, chosen from 424 entries, were:

* Restoration of Hebron's old town on the West Bank

Shortly after we checked in at Hotel Tajikistan in Dushanbe, it shook. But this tremor was quickly dissolved into a rush of intellectual as well as emotional vibrations as we embarked on a remarkable journey of discovery. And while the sojourn in Tajikistan, which lasted for more than ten days, was designed around the visit there of the Aga Khan, with specific focus on the activities of the Aga Khan Development Network, I could not help looking at everything with reference to what is happening in Pakistan. We know about the great battles of history that have been fought in Central Asia.

The spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili community, the Aga Khan, is visiting Tajikistan, home to a small but influential Ismaili community living mainly in the south of the country.

More than two-thousand Ismailis turned out to welcome him on his arrival on Monday.

The Aga Khan told reporters he would discuss economic projects in the remote mountainous regions of the country.

Since independence, the Aga Khan has poured millions of dollars into the country in aid and also played a part in brokering the peace in Tajikistan's civil war.