2024
Keynote Lecture – The Art of Peace, Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge
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2023
Keynote speech at “Our Diverse World: Celebrating the World Festival of Cultural Diversity”, Paris, France
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2022
Address to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations 9th Global Forum, Fez, Morocco
2020
Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Hajj and The Arts of Pilgrimage 700 – 2000
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2018
Opening address of the SOAS Graduation Ceremony 2018
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2018
Keynote speech as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador at the Arab-Mediterranean Cultural Conference in Palermo, Sicily.
2016
SOAS University, London. “The Art of collecting” (07/12/16)
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2016
Asia House London. “The Art of collecting”
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2016
Sainsbury Institute Norwich, Study of Japanese Arts & Culture. “Japonisme: the arts of Meiji and the rise of the modern artist”
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2015
Class of 2015 Franklin university commencement ceremony
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2015
Corpus Christi College, Oxford – “The Art of Collecting”
2015
UNESCO Day of Reflection on Intercultural Dialogue and Fragmented Societies Paris, France – “The Real Weapon of Mass Destruction is Ignorance”
2014
Euro-Mediterranean meeting of Projet Aladin – Dialogue Among Cultures Award 2014 Acceptance Speech, Paris, France
2014
‘Institut Francais’ London – “The Art of Collecting”
2013
Launch of the UNESCO forum on Building Knowledge Societies for Sustainable Human Development, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia – “Knowledge to harness human development and peace”
2013
Launch of the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013 – 2022) 2013, UNESCO International Forum, Astana, Kazakhstan – “Art and Culture and their role in fostering understanding”
2013
UNESCO International Congress, Hangzhou, China – “Culture: Key to Sustainable Development”
2013
Class of 2013 Queens College commencement ceremony
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2012
High-Level Debate “Contemporary Challenges and Approaches to Building a Lasting Culture of peace” -UNESCO International Day of Peace at the United Nations New York
2011
Passion for Perfection: Islamic Art from the Khalili Collection – De Nieuwe Kerk, Dam Amsterdam, Netherlands
2008
HRH Mohammed Bin Zayed, Majlis, Al Butten Palace, Abu Dhabi -“A glorious Tradition:Islamic Art through the Ages”
2007
Queens College New York – “The Art Of The Possible: Bridging Cultural Divides”
2005
Queens College New York – “Art and Culture of Islam and its contribution to the West”
2004
Roscoe Lecture at Liverpool Cathedral – “The Art of Islam: a Glorious Tradition”
2001
School of Oriental and African Studies, London – “The Art of Collecting”
2001
Portland Art Museum, USA – “The Art of Meiji”
2000
Bilbao, Spain – “Spanish Damascene from The Khalili Collection”
1999
Wilmington, Delaware, USA – “Splendors of Meiji: Treasures of Imperial Japan”
1999
Tel Aviv Museum, Israel – “Indian Miniatures”
1996
Malmö, Sweden – “Swedish Textile Art”
1996
Israel Museum, Jerusalem – “Empire of the Sultans”
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1995
Victoria & Albert Museum, London – “Islamic Art through the Centuries” (under the auspices of The Board of Deputies of British Jews to mark the First Anniversary of the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty)
1995
Musées d’art et d’histoire de Genève, Switzerland – “The Art and History of Islam”
1992
Islamic Seminar in Kuching, Malaysia – “Art of Islam”