Aga Khan Award for Architecture held in Bishkek
Bishkek, Sept. 16, 2025 /Kabar/. The Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Adylbek Kasymaliev, participated in the 16th ceremony of awarding the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
The ceremony was attended by His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, who arrived in Kyrgyzstan on a working visit. In his speech, the Chairman of the Cabinet noted that the ceremony of awarding the Aga Khan Award for Architecture is a great honor and responsibility for the Kyrgyz Republic.
“We consider the presence of more than 200 famous architects, scientists and high-ranking guests from different countries of the world at this solemn event as a sign of appreciation and respect for our country. We are glad to welcome you in generous Kyrgyz land. This award, which has a special meaning for the world community, has been a symbol of humanism, cultural diversity and the pursuit of harmony between man and nature for almost half a century. The Aga Khan Award, unlike many other awards, recognizes not only the beauty or form of buildings, but also their impact on society, their role in preserving cultural heritage, and their significance in community development. This award clearly demonstrates that architecture is not a luxury, but a necessity, a responsibility to future generations. In times of climate change, urbanization and social challenges, such projects that give us hope and show us the way to build a sustainable and just future,” he said.
According to him, in recent years, the construction industry of Kyrgyzstan has been developing dynamically. Today, a new page in large-scale construction and architectural development is opening. Some of them are: the construction of a new environmentally friendly city “Kemin-City”, which will become a modern center for living and doing business; the new airport “Jalal-Abad”, which will not only increase transit opportunities, but will also be built with energy-saving and modern engineering solutions; the “Ala-Too Resort” mountain ski cluster, which is globally competitive, but does not harm nature, but, on the contrary, protects and supports it; the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway corridor, which will significantly strengthen the transport and economic ties of the region.
The Chairman noted that the ceremony of presenting the Aga Khan Award for Architecture is taking place within the framework of the 25th anniversary of cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Aga Khan Foundation. Adylbek Kasymaliev congratulated the award winners, noting that each project inspires millions of people around the world.
7 projects became winners out of 19 projects:
Bangladesh — Khudi Bari
China — Wusutu” village
Egypt — Revitalization of Historic Esna
Iran — Majara complex
Iran — Jahad metro plaza
Pakistan — Vision Pakistan
Palestine — Wonder Cabinet
Total prize fund was $1 million.
For information: The Aga Khan Award for Architecture was established in 1977 by the late His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV to recognize and reward architectural solutions that effectively address the needs and aspirations of societies with a significant Muslim population. Since then, the award has recognized 136 projects and documented over 10,000 architectural initiatives. The selection process for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture focuses on projects that not only meet the physical, social and economic needs of people, but also support, develop and inspire their cultural aspirations.
