In the year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ismaili Center, Lisbon, on July 11th, we share the perspective of Nazir Mulji, Coordinator of the Ismaili Centers, regarding its importance to our community.

Português

What aspect of the Centre impresses you most?

The Centre is placed in a landscaped park with courtyards and open patios that fuse inside and outside spaces.

What best reflects MHI's aspirations for the Centre?

Mawlana Hazar Imam’s aspiration for the Ismaili Centre Lisbon and other Centres globally could be summarised from his speech at the Foundation Stone Ceremony of the Ismaili Centre, Lisbon on Wednesday, 18 December 1996:

“We hope the Ismaili Centre, and its activities and programmes developed here by various components of the Aga Khan Development Network, will succeed in presenting the Ismaili community of Portugal and the world community, as a community and an interpretation of Islam which are intellectually strong and humanistic in outlook. We hope that this initiative will reflect a community living in Portugal which, through its Centre and activities, will share its strong social conscience with the widest spectrum of people and faiths in Lisbon and further abroad.”

What is unique about this Center compared to others?

Raj Rewal, in collaboration with Portuguese architect Frederico Valsassina, has combined diverse architectural influences from the Persian gardens, the Alhambra, Fatehpur Sikri, and the Monastery of Jeronimos in Lisbon. By integrating these influences and incorporating innovative construction technologies, they have created a unique architecture that blends with Portuguese urban values.

What message would you leave for future tour guides?

Use the language of architecture to connect people and encourage all of us to listen to each other and to learn from each other.

How does the Center's architecture relate to its goals?

Each of the Ismaili Centres, including Lisbon, are designed by architects of international standing and multi-cultural sensitivity and are reflective of their own geographies and contexts.

Prince Amyn Aga Khan in his remarks in Houston on 11 August 2022 said:

“In short, these Centers seek to provide a place where people come together to share their creativity and their wisdom. Above all, these are places for contemplation, upliftment, and the search for knowledge and they have become important cultural institutions.”

 

About Nazir

Nazir Mulji has been the Coordinator for Ismaili Centres since 2009 and is now based at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon.