Inauguration of the restoration of the “Blue Mosque” in Cairo. (Photo: AKTC/Gary Otte via AKDN)
As Muslims, we are invited to protect and enhance the world in which we live during our lifetimes. We are trustees of God’s creation, hence the word Trust in the name of the agency responsible for this restoration.
And let us be reminded, too, that in undertaking this work, we are not only attending to our own Islamic heritage, but also preserving an essential part of the patrimony of all humankind.
I can say to you today that the potential power of Islamic cultures is such that the Ummah is capable of achieving global recognition for its amazing heritage of unique spaces and buildings.
Cairo, 2 May 2015 – Restoration of the 14th century Amir Aqsunqur “Blue Mosque” in Al-Darb al-Ahmar has been completed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) as part of the larger Al-Darb al-Ahmar Urban Regeneration Programme.
The Minister of Antiquities, Mamdouh El Damaty, and the Governor of Cairo, Galal Said, joined His Highness the Aga Khan in marking the occasion at the Mosque.
I remember well when the seeds for our cultural engagement in Cairo were first planted at a seminar more than thirty years ago.
The restoration of the 14th century Amir Aqsunqur “Blue Mosque” was completed by AKTC as part of the larger Al-Darb al-Ahmar Urban Regeneration Programme. The Mosque had been closed since 1992 due to damage suffered from an earthquake. (Photo: AKTC/Gary Otte via AKDN)
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture strives to approach such opportunities through a multi-tier, multi-dimensional strategy, drawing on experts not only from fields such as archaeology, conservation, restoration, and engineering, but also from the worlds of finance, tourism, education, sanitation and public health – among others. The cultural components of such projects are numerous, varied, and much less finite than most other development initiatives. The Trust therefore remains engaged with its projects, as will be the case here in Egypt, for long periods.
The overall impact on the quality of life in this community has been palpable. Disposable family income in Darb al-Ahmar, for example, increased by 27% between 2003 and 2009 – one third faster that in the whole of Old Cairo. Literacy rates climbed by one-fourth. And the impact will continue to ripple out beyond this community. For example, hundreds of young Egyptians have been trained in restoration by some of the world’s best experts; and they have gone on to create autonomous teams which can take on restoration projects anywhere in Egypt.
Ismailimail 