Washington Scully events / testimony

[Admin]

There is already a testimony on Heritage web site main page, here is the link:

http://ismaili.net/timeline/2005/scullyheritage.doc

If you have been in Washington for the event, please share your experience with us...

Admin

[tasbiha]

The music after dinner was fantastic! A drummer and lute player from Afganistan were really delightful. Wonderful silk road music. Heavenly. Then the Aga Khan spoke, accepting his award. At first he seemed nervous. Later he started to seem more comfortable. After the speech, he looked very humble accepting the award from the museum director, like a little boy who was embarrassed.

[kmaherali]

Thanks Malik for this interesting report highlighting all the essential aspects of the event. I was particularly touched by the spontaneous recollections and reflections of the World Bank President.

If we can get reports like these about all public appearances of MHI, it mitigates the need for everyone to be there - sometimes at a displeasure of the Imam. I personally am indifferent whether I am in his physical presence or not, so long as I can get pertinent information about what he says, what others say about him etc.

[malik.merchant]

Thank you, Karim, for your compliment. I am gratified by the response I have received from around the world for the reflection that I contributed. This has come from both Ismailis and non-Ismailis including new friends at the National Building Museum. I wish I had done the same for the forum that followed on the 26th, but that would have been an extremely daunting challenge in view of the depthness and length of the discussion. I may say that all the panelists performed admirably. Hazar Imam was at ease and felt extremely confortable during the entire session. I met Charles Correa later at a Spanish retaurant on 7th Street and he told me he really enjoyed being a panelist. He further told me that he had never seen Hazar Imam particpate in a public forum such as this one, except at seminars related to the Aga Khan awards.

Thank you once again to everyone who wrote to me.

[malik.merchant]

In my article I noted that the Japanese architect Mr. Bruno Freschi met at the Scully award ceremony is responsible for designing the Ismaili center in Toronto. He is in fact designing the museum and the AKDN center in Ottawa and not the Jamat Khana. I regret the error.

[al-azhar]

In my article I noted that the Japanese architect Mr. Bruno Freschi met at the Scully award ceremony is responsible for designing the Ismaili center in Toronto. He is in fact designing the museum and the AKDN center in Ottawa and not the Jamat Khana. I regret the error.

Mr. Bruno Freschi is not the Japanese architect. He is the architect of the Ismaili Jamat Khana & Center in Burnaby, B.C.

[malik.merchant]

My reflection has been corrected as of February 17, 2005 with respect to this matter. Thank you

[kmaherali]

Aga Khan receives National Building Museum's Vincent Scully Prize

Washington, DC, USA, 26 January 2005 - The Aga Khan received the National Building Museum's Vincent Scully Prize in recognition of his contributions to promoting design excellence, urban and rural revitalisation, and historic preservation.

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ_4-B8 ... rce=Direct

[kmaherali]

There is already a testimony on Heritage web site main page, here is the link:

http://ismaili.net/timeline/2005/scullyheritage.doc

If you have been in Washington for the event, please share your experience with us...

Admin

At 9:35 Mr. Wolfensohn came on the stage and gave one of the most remarkable tributes to Mawlana Hazar Imam. He spoke without any notes whatsoever and what he said literally came from his heart. He said his comments were going to focus not on the architectural contribution but more so on the humanistic nature of the Imam’s work. In his 10 years as WBP he said he had come across many individuals who were passionate or visionary, but not someone like Hazar Imam who had both aspects integrated into his personality. Hazar Imam was an icon of thought and philosophy and both these aspects were exemplified through action. What he had accomplished since founding the Aga Khan Development Network some 30 years ago was simply amazing. From pre-school to the Aga Khan University (which was rapidly expanding to other parts of the world) and the new University of Central Asia he had expanded his activities to all areas of the world. He had never met anyone to take up on a vision and implement it the way Hazar Imam did it and for that we should salute him. He said that he wished he had the same ability at the World Bank to work with so many different individuals who were experts in their own right and make the final decisions on his own. Only Hazar Imam was in a position to do this.

He alluded to the fact that Hazar Imam was a Holy Man and was loved by Ismailis whom he led. He represented the very best in Islam, which offered a great value system including faith and morality.

He cited how Hazar Imam was able to support diverse causes and projects. When Yo Yo Ma approached him with a project pertaining to the Silk Roads Musical Initiative, Wolfensohn told Yo Yo Ma would bring it to light to Hazar Imam. Yo Yo Ma was not convinced that anything would come to fruition, but Hazar Imam supported the idea leading it to the Silk Roads Festival.

He concluded, “You are a fantastic guy”.

He said that Correa and himself had paid tributes to Hazar Imam and now it was the turn of the musicians to pay him a tribute too. When he went back to take his seat, Hazar Imam stood up and they hugged each other. It was a very emotional moment and it showed his respect and warmth for Hazar Imam.

*****

James D. Wolfensohn, Who Led the World Bank for 10 Years, Dies at 86

He was a force on Wall Street before taking the reins of the bank in 1995, then proceeded to shake it up. He did the same at both Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.

More...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/busi ... 778d3e6de3