Excerpt of speech made by MaulanaHazir Imam in the Portuguese Parliament on 10th July 2018.
The designation of the Seat’s premises follows a series of significant developments in the relationship between Portugal and the Ismaili Imamat and builds on accords with the Republic of Portugal, the first of which was signed in 2005 and thereafter in 2008 and 2009.
In June 2015, Portugal welcomed the establishment of the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon. The Agreement signed on that occasion, represents a pioneering gesture that underlines the values of tolerance, cooperation, and mutual respect. It provides an enabling framework that will facilitate the global work of the Ismaili Imamat and marks the first such accord in the Imamat’s modern history and is a historic milestone. The premises at RuaMarquês de Fronteira, home of the Seat, provides a long-term base from which the Imamat will address complex international requirements and challenges.
His Excellency also shared his hope of what these events will bring for Portugal saying, “Your visit here and your establishment here, shows how we would like to project ourselves in the international community as a bridge-building country. We offer you our heartiest congratulations at this high point in history. We hope that your presence in Portugal will be a catalyst for energy and joint work for the creation of more fair, more open, and more pluralist societies.”