THE FIRST Ismaili Centre in the United States has been inaugurated in Houston. Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community, opened the centre on November 6.
The event was attended by Houston mayor John Whitmire; Princes Amyn, Hussain, and Aly Muhammad; members of the US Congress; Texas legislators; and representatives of interfaith and civic organisations.
The Ismaili Centre is a place of worship and a social and cultural space for Ismaili Muslims. The 150,000-square-foot facility, located on more than nine acres near Buffalo Bayou, joins six earlier Ismaili Centres in London, Vancouver, Toronto, Lisbon, Dubai, and Dushanbe. It is designed by architect Farshid Moussavi and landscape architect Thomas Woltz, and is built to LEED Gold environmental standards.
“This building may be called an Ismaili Centre, but it is not here for Ismailis only,” the Aga Khan said. “It is for all Houstonians — a place open to all who seek knowledge, reflection, and dialogue.” Mayor Whitmire described the opening as “a proud moment for the city” and a “statement of unity, faith, and shared purpose.”
The centre will function as a cultural, civic, and educational venue, hosting exhibitions, performances, lectures, and interfaith dialogues, and will also be used for the community’s religious and social gatherings.
Houston has a sizable Indian-origin Ismaili population, and the inauguration holds significance for the diaspora and communities in India.
(With inputs from PTI)
