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Aga Khan Development Network brochure

The Aga Khan Development Network is a group of private, international, non-denominational agencies working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in specific regions of the developing world. The Network’s organisations have individual mandates that range from the fi elds of health and education to architecture, rural development and the promotion of private-sector enterprise. Together they collaborate in working towards a common goal – to build institutions and programmes that can respond to the challenges of social, economic and cultural change on an ongoing basis. This brochure introduces the Network’s principal agencies and provides an overview of their activities and goals. This publication is also available in French, Arabic and Portuguese.

Tom Stuart-Smith’s Jellicoe Gardens in King’s Cross

Jellicoe Gardens, the latest creation by award-winning landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, is now open in Kings Cross, London. The gardens are inspired by the great garden of Bagh-e Fin, in Kashan, Iran with sunlight, shade, shadows and water coming together to create a place of calm, comfort and quiet reflection. Tom notes “it’s such an interesting project. For a start we had two clients, both with a lot of experience of making public spaces. One, the Aga Khan Development Network wanting something very specific, while the other, Argent, wanting something more general.” Hanif Kara, representing the Aga Khan Development Network comments: “Through these green spaces – six in the Aga Khan Centre, two in nearby Victoria Hall, the fountains in Lewis Cubitt Square, and now Jellicoe Gardens – visitors to King’s Cross can gain new insights about the diversity of Islamic landscape design originating from different geographic regions and see their contributions to garden design around the world.”  

COP26: Climate change resilience in the high mountains of Tajikistan

During the first week of COP26, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat joined the Governments of Tajikistan and Switzerland to discuss and align approaches that are building climate change resilience in the Pamir highlands, where mountain communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of global warming.

COP26: Aga Khan Agency for Habitat and World Habitat showcase how mountain communities are adapting to the climate emergency

On Monday 8 November 2021, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat and World Habitat organised an event at COP26, featuring work that is being carried out with 800 mountain communities in northern Pakistan to help them adapt to the climate emergency and  live more safely and thrive.

 

Schools2030 official teaser

“…Most large-scale international education reform initiatives start with a globally designed intervention to improve learning outcomes. At Schools2030 we flip this mindset and start from the classroom level – we believe educational change can only happen when it is initiated and owned by teachers, learners and school communities,” says Dr Bronwen Magrath, Global Programme Manager at the Aga Khan Foundation and lead of the Schools2030 initiative.

 

45 of the best things to do in London in July 2021

The Resident lists an exhibition at the Aga Khan Centre as a main attraction in London in July 2021. Making Paradise is a new group exhibition exploring the concept of Eden through Islamic garden design at the Aga Khan Centre. The show brings together 19 international multimedia artists, each of whom will present an interpretation of the concept of Al-Jannah – the Garden of Eden, or Paradise in Islam – and will feature digital reproductions of classical miniature paintings from the Aga Khan Museum’s permanent collection alongside other depictions of elements associated with Paradise. The central focus of the show is a silent fountain, designed by renowned Islamic garden designer Emma Clark. From this will spring a bespoke paper-cut installation of organic forms, created by American artist Clare Celeste Börsch. The exhibition will also feature an installation of birdsong and nature sounds.

Esen Kaya on ‘Making Paradise’ at The Aga Khan Centre Gallery

Making Paradise, a group exhibition currently on view on at The Aga Khan Centre Gallery, explores the concept of Eden through art and Islamic Garden design. Curator Esen Kaya says that at the heart of the exhibition’s narrative is the presentation of a film made in 2018 by AKDN depicting the many garden restoration and development projects achieved around the world. She says that crucially, the film conveys His Highness the Aga Khan’s message about the significance of gardens as important spaces that build bridges, bring communities together and act as catalysts for change, particularly in this time of growing nationalism and migration of cultures and identities. The inclusion of this film is to share AKDN’s incredible global portfolio and show how nature is a gift of God, and humankind is responsible for its preservation.

CogX Festival and Hopin Agree 3-year Partnership to Deliver the World's Largest Hybrid Event

The CogX Festival announced it has entered into a three-year partnership with Hopin, a virtual experiences platform redefining how people around the world connect through immersive video experiences, starting with delivering the largest hybrid event of its kind to date – the CogX Global Leadership Summit and Festival of AI and Transformational Technology. The festival takes place in Kings Cross, London, from Monday June 14th to 16th and returns to address the theme: “How do we get the next 10 years right?” The Global Leadership Summit stage will this year be held at The Aga Khan Centre, King’s Cross, bringing together an exciting and thought provoking line-up of in-person speakers to discuss and debate key issues with an intimate audience in a Covid-safe setting. Two other stages of curated content will be delivered in person whilst concurrently 18 stages of topic themed content will be streamed live on the Hopin virtual platform ensuring an engaging and interactive experience for all those participating remotely.

Paradise found: London gallery showcases art inspired by Islamic garden design

As in many paradise gardens, particularly those inspired by Islamic culture, a fountain lies at the heart of the quadrilateral garden created inside the Aga Khan Centre gallery in King’s Cross, London. This fountain doesn’t spout water, however, but beautiful, intricate strips of paper with laser-cut flowers made by Berlin-based American artist Clare Celeste Börsch. The fountain is at the centre of Making Paradise, an exhibition exploring the concept of Eden through art and Islamic garden design. On display are numerous artworks depicting trees, flowers and fruits, including botanical illustrations from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley library collection, alongside contemporary works. The exhibition runs until the end of September.

 

 

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