The honour was bestowed at the Town Hall during the Municipality Day celebrations hosted by Sintra City Council.

“It’s an appropriate day to salute you,” said Mayor Basílio Horta in his address at the event. “The Aga Khan Foundation, for us, is a very very important partner, which serves our entire municipality, but extensively people who have special needs.”

“I’m delighted by the work that the Aga Khan Foundation has been doing here,” said Prince Amyn, who also highlighted the importance of education, early childhood development, and culture in addressing some of the challenges that communities and societies face today.

“My thanks to you very much,” he added, “I hope to be back soon in Sintra.”

Prince Amyn is a member of the board of directors at AKF, an agency dedicated to addressing the root causes of poverty and improving quality of life through sustainable development. Operating in more than 30 countries, AKF focuses on a range of areas including education, health, economic development, culture, and environmental sustainability.

Over the past 20 years, AKF has been working with migrant, job seeking, and ageing populations in Sintra to increase opportunities and uplift living conditions. In partnership with the Municipality of Sintra, a region known for its rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty, AKF has implemented several key projects aimed at enhancing educational opportunities, promoting economic development, and fostering social inclusion.

Current projects include early childhood development, youth training and digital literacy programmes, support for environmental conservation efforts, and further strengthening community engagement.