Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Your Excellency President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi

Your Excellency President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa

Your Excellency Prince Rahim Aga Khan

Your Excellency Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane

Your Excellency President Joaquim Chissano

Her Excellency Madam Minister of Education and Human Development Carmelita Namashulua

Honourable Members of the Government

Your Excellency Secretary of State in Maputo Province Vitória Dias Diogo

Your Excellency Governor of the Province of Maputo Júlio Parruque

Your Excellency President of the Municipal Council of the City of Matola Calisto Cossa

Your Excellency Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal Francisco André

Representatives of the Authorities of the States of Mozambique and Portugal

Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am deeply honoured to convey to all present here our most heartfelt and warmest greetings to this inauguration ceremony of the Aga Khan Academy Maputo. 

This is a memorable occasion for all of us, which officially marks the opening of an important project of the Aga Khan Development Network in Mozambique, a project that will, we believe, impact the development of Mozambique and of Mozambicans.

What we are witnessing today reflects the spirit of partnership, friendship and the strong relationship between the Republic of Mozambique and the Ismaili Imamat, grounded on shared values and on the common goal of building a better future for the peoples of this beautiful country, known as the pearl of the Indic.

I therefore welcome, with particularly warmth, Your Excellency President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi to this ceremony, and convey our gratitude for making availability and honouring us with this presence.

I also warmly greet Your Excellency President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for having also accepted to participate in this ceremony.

I also extend a fraternal and respectful salutation, allow me, to Your Excellency President Joaquim Chissano, who makes us very happy with Your presence and who was at the epicenter of this project and the institutional presence of the Aga Khan Development Network in the Republic of Mozambique, since 1998.

I express my deep gratitude to the state entities – central, provincial and local; to public companies; the project team; past and present leadership and faculty; and to all the employees who started and continued this ambitious project, since 2008.

We are fortunate to have, with us today, two Heads of State that are recognised for the affinities that unite Mozambique and Portugal. The Ismaili Imamat and the Aga Khan Development Network are privileged to also have a close relationship with the two countries here represented at the highest level.  It is an honour to be able to humbly welcome you to this house of knowledge, of sharing, of merit, of equality, of inclusion, of opportunities, of intellectual enlightenment and of hope.  Hope in this generation that studies here, hope in the coming generations who will study here, hope that these generations will be in the leadership of the country, in its progress, in improving the quality of life of Mozambicans.

This Academy provides excellent education in state-of-the-art infrastructures, from early childhood development to pre-university.

The principle of providing access to opportunities is rooted in AKDN projects, having the first initiatives established more than 100 years ago in Eastern Africa and South Asia, emanating from its principles of respect for human dignity and social conscience.

The Aga Khan Academy Maputo, inaugurated today by the Presidents of two Portuguese-speaking countries, in the presence of Prince Rahim Aga Khan, will play a central role inside and outside Portuguese-speaking countries, in the creation of capacity, knowledge and exchange. This will be reinforced by the future Aga Khan Academy in Lisbon.

We can find ways to build bridges around knowledge and competence, to build stronger and more inclusive societies.

Today, the creation of these bridges is increasingly pressing. We hope that this Academy, its students, parents and teachers, can make positive contributions to our common future.

Therefore, I thank you once again for your presence at this auspicious ceremony and reiterate my deep gratitude to the Mozambican government and to all those who made this dream a reality.

Thank you very much.