His Highness the Aga Khan on poverty and the right to hope

“The right to hope is the most powerful human motivation I know. ”
His Highness the Aga Khan
May 26, 1996

“One of the great principles of Islam, in all its interpretations, is the elimination of poverty in society, and philanthropy’s centrality in this duty.”
His Highness the Aga Khan
Global Philanthropy Forum, Washington, D.C.
April 23, 2009
Speech at Press Centre, AKDN

“….to me, poverty means being without shelter, without protection, without access to healthcare, education, or credit, and without hope of ever controlling one’s own destiny. This means condemning one’s children and grandchildren to unacceptable living conditions.

A voluntarist and innovative strategy is needed in order to break this chain of despair and total imprisonment.
His Highness the Aga Khan
State Banquet in Madagascar
November 27, 2007
Speech at Press Centre, AKDN

“If our animosities are born out of fear, then confident generosity is born out of hope. One of the central lessons I have learned after a half century of working in the developing world is that the replacement of fear by hope is probably the single most powerful trampoline of progress.”
His Highness the Aga Khan
Tutzing Evangelical Academy Upon Receiving the “Tolerance” Award, Germany
May 20, 2006
Speech at Press Centre, AKDN

“……when hope fades, extremist ideologies feed on the despair that is born from limitless poverty.”
His Highness the Aga Khan
Royal Toledo Foundation Award Ceremony, Spain
March 2, 2006
Speech at Press Centre, AKDN

“The right to hope is the most powerful human motivation I know. ”
His Highness the Aga Khan
Commencement Address at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
May 26, 1996
Speech at Press Centre, AKDN

Compiled by Nimira Dewji