This past Tuesday was the official inauguration of the Aga Khan Centre, a unique building in King’s Cross, at the heart of London’sthriving Knowledge Quarter. It was inaugurated by Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.
The Aga Khan Centre is the new UK home for several educational and development institutions founded by Aga Khan. Designed primarily as an academic building for teaching and research, the organizations based at the Aga Khan Centre work to increase understanding of Muslim civilizations and improve the quality of life ofthe world’s most disadvantaged communities.
The building, designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, represents openness, dialogue, and respect for diverse viewpoints.
A series of roof gardens, terraces and courtyards – the Islamic Gardens at King’s Cross – showcase the diversity of Muslim cultures through landscape architecture.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prince Charles commented on the importance of understanding the intellectual and cultural contributions that Islamic civilizations have made to the world.
Prince Karim Aga Khan expressed his expectation that “from this new home, these education-oriented institutions would contribute powerfully to building new bridges of understanding across the gulfs of ignorance.”