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  Updated: March 27, 2008

Ismaili centre, first of its kind in ME, opened in Dubai

By: Sultan Ahmed

DUBAI, UAE: Spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims Prince Aga Khan on Wednesday inaugurated an Ismaili cultural centre in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, the first of its kind in the Middle East.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, he said the Centre, which houses a library and will host conferences and an early childhood education programme, will serve as "a place for peaceful contemplation."

"It is not a place to hide from the world, but rather a place which inspires us to engage our worldly work as a direct extension of our faith," the Aga Khan said.

The centre is the fourth for the 15-million-strong Ismaili community. Others are in London, Lisbon and Vancouver.

Around one million members of the sect live in the Middle East.

Dubai, one of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates, has become "a truly global crossroads" and "the very embodiment of the global village," the 71-year-old Aga Khan said.

The inauguration was attended by Sheikh Ahmad bin Saeed al-Maktoum, a member of Dubai's ruling family and chairman of the city state's carrier Emirates, and by UAE Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak al-Nahayan.

Officials at the centre said it took four years to build and cost 22 million dollars.


 
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