For the remainder of the visit: 11-12 September
On Thursday, 11 September, His Highness is due to visit the Aga Khan University’s new Kampala campus to inaugurate major new investments in higher education and health care. The programme will include ceremonies to open the University’s first academic facilities on its new campus and mark the commencement of construction of the Aga Khan University Hospital, reflecting the Imamat’s long-term commitment to strengthening Uganda’s health and education systems.
On Friday, 12 September, His Highness will meet with members of the Ugandan Ismaili community. The occasion will provide an opportunity to acknowledge their contributions to the country’s social and economic life, and to reaffirm the Imamat’s commitment to improving the quality of life for all Ugandans, regardless of faith or background.
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About the Ismaili Imamat
Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his family) was the last and final Messenger of God. The Shia interpretation of Islam holds that during his lifetime, upon divine command, the Prophet designated his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib (may peace be upon him) as the leader of the Muslim community. According to Shia Muslims, the office of religious leadership, or Imamat, continues in perpetuity. The Ismaili Imamat is a hereditary office in succession from the first Imam, Hazrat Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, who was married to Hazrat Bibi Fatima a-Zahra, the Prophet’s daughter and only surviving child. For Shia Ismaili Muslims, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan is the 50th hereditary Imam in direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad.
In the Muslim tradition, the Imam not only leads in the interpretation of the faith, but also in the effort to improve the security and quality of life of his community and of the wider societies within which it lives.
About the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
AKDN is an international group of agencies and enterprises established by the Ismaili Imamat to fulfil its mandate of improving quality of life for all, regardless of faith or background.
AKDN operates across more than 30 countries and through a variety of sectors including education, health, culture, the environment and economic development. In Uganda, its almost century-long presence continues to empower communities, strengthen systems and foster sustainable development.
Media contact:
Christopher Wilton-Steer (AKDN)
[email protected]