Ismaili Muslims host Historic Cities exhibition

Rev. Murdo Marple (right) of the Knox Presbyterian Church an exhibit at the luncheon hosted for the Calgary interfaith community

Rev. Jake Kroeker (right) of the First Baptist Church viewing an exhibit at the luncheon hosted for the Calgary interfaith community

Calgary Herald

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Graeme Morton

Calgarians will get a chance to view the Historic Cities exhibition, an initiative of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, today when Calgary's Ismaili Muslim community hosts its annual Stampede breakfast.

The dramatic collection of photographs and narrative text chronicles the work spearheaded by the Aga Khan in promoting the conservation and restoration of buildings and public spaces in historic cities throughout the Muslim world.

The Historic Cities exhibition, an initiative of Aga Khan's trust for culture, will be on display at the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Centre today and next week.

"It showcases some of the architectural marvels of Muslim civilizations, which are often not that well known in the West," says Almoonir Dewji of the Calgary Ismaili community.

"And there's certainly an economic development component, where the local population is involved in the restorations. It's about bringing back pride in their history," Dewji adds.

The Historic Cities projects include the Al-Azhar Park in Cairo, the Citadel of Aleppo and Masyaf in Syria, the Djingereyber Mosque in Mali, the Timur Shah Mausoleum in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Humayan's Tomb in New Delhi, India.

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