Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi – Last Updated: Oct 31, 2010
Nestled in one of Bur Dubai’s older districts is one of the emirate’s best kept architectural secrets: the Ismaili Centre of Dubai. It is a 13,000-square-metre structure designed by the Egyptian duo Rami El Dahan and Soheir Farid, who drew inspiration from Cairo’s Fatimid mosques.
This prime plot of land was generously given to the Ismaili community by Dubai’s then Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, in 1982 to celebrate the Aga Khan’s Silver Jubilee as the imam of the community. It is a testament to Sheikh Mohammed’s long-term vision and respect for other cultures that such a generous donation was given when he was 33 years old. Today, because of this long-term vision, Dubai is a culturally and architecturally richer emirate.
The structure was inaugurated in 2008 by Prince Karim, the Aga Khan, in the presence of senior UAE officials. A 3,000-square-metre public neighbourhood park was also created on parts of the land based on Islamic garden themes.
More: http://www.thenational.ae/the-national.
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=42262
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sultan-sooud-alqassemi/a-monument-of-tolerance
Ismailimail 