KARACHI: The Aga Khan was given the Asia Society’s Lifetime Achievement award at a ceremony held in New York recently, it’s learnt on Thursday.

The spiritual leader of the Ismaili community was recognised for improving the lives of millions and having worked to help build a more peaceful and tolerant world through the Aga Khan Development Network.

While accepting the award, the Aga Khan said: “Any leader of any global community hopes and prays for one thing — peace; peace in every community, in every country of the world, so that men and women can live in safety, build their futures with strength, courage, hope and wisdom. These are the values that the leaders of my community, my institutions and myself, are intimately linked with and will continue to work for, for many, many decades ahead.”

The Aga Khan was also praised for “protecting vulnerable communities from climate change, and helping young people develop new skills that can help them succeed. He has also been a champion of using public-private partnerships to spread economic opportunity, improve public health and expand access to education”.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2017