Source: translated via Google
The President of the Republic, Cavaco Silva, today received in audience in the Palacio de Belem, Prince Karim Aga Khan, spiritual leader of Muslims and institutional ismailitas, under its five-day visit to Portugal
The Portuguese head of state after a hearing offered a lunch in honour of Prince Aga Khan.
The visit of the Aga Khan, which runs until next Monday at the invitation of the Portuguese government, he comes in a series of journeys made in various parts of the world to mark the year of its golden jubilee of – the 50 anniversary since it is became the Imam, spiritual leader of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, an ethnically diverse community that resides in about 25 countries.
During his stay in Portugal, the Aga Khan hold meetings with President of the Assembly of the Republic, Jaime Gama, with the prime minister, José Sócrates, and with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Luis Amado, and Justice, Alberto Costa.
The Aga Khan will be present at an event with congregational members of the Ismaili community and should meet with the High Commissioner of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Jorge Sampaio.
The Aga Khan is 49 of the hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismailis Muslims and directs a community of 15 million Muslims, eight thousand of which reside in Portugal.
For his followers, Karim Aga Khan, who acceded to the throne of the Ismaili Imamat July 11, 1957, is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law Ali, the first Imam, and his wife Fatima, daughter of the Prophet.
Over the past 50 years, the Aga Khan has led the growth of one of the largest private networks worldwide development aid. The Aga Khan network for development (AKDN) is dedicated to a wide range of activities in education, health and rural development, cultural and economic.
In 2005 the Portuguese government and the Aga Khan network have signed a protocol of cooperation and in the same year the network has signed a partnership agreement with the Patriarchate of Lisbon for the urban community development for the fight against poverty and social exclusion.
Since starting its year of Jubilee, which started in July 2007, Aga Khan made several official visits, in response to calls from heads of state.
In 2005 the Portuguese government and the Aga Khan network have signed a protocol of cooperation and in the same year the network has signed a partnership agreement with the Patriarchate of Lisbon for the urban community development for the fight against poverty and social exclusion.
The Aga Khan Foundation is one of the institutions that make up the network and to commemorate the golden jubilee of a project is under way to establish a school of excellence for children and young people who show high capacity but have financial difficulties.
The project, according to the network representative in Portugal for the Aga Khan Development, Nazim Ahmad, is still being negotiated, knowing it just to be installed in the greater Lisbon area and that work on an internship to receive students from around the country.
Ismailimail 