Born
in Paris, France on 17th January, 1933, Prince Sadruddin received his
early education in Switzerland before graduating in 1954 from Harvard
University. After three years of post-graduate research at Harvard’s
Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Prince Sadruddin followed a family
tradition in international service established by his father who had
served two terms as President of the League of Nations.
In
1958, Prince Sadruddin joined UNESCO, becoming in 1961, Executive
Secretary to its International Action Committee for the Preservation of
Nubia, which brought together archaeologists from Eastern Europe and
the West at the height of the Cold War to save the ancient treasures of
Abu Simbel, the temples of Philae and Kalabsha and the Christian
churches of Nubia.
For twelve years, beginning in
1965, Prince Sadruddin was UN High Commissioner for Refugees,
coordinating the international response to crises in, amongst other
countries, Bangladesh, Uganda, Sudan, Chile and Cyprus. Widening the
UNHCR mandate well beyond its original focus on Eastern Europe, Prince
Sadruddin, during his tenure extended the organisation’s reach to
refugees from Palestine, Vietnam, Angola and Algeria.
Prince
Sadruddin had, since 1978, been variously: Special Consultant and
Chargé de Mission to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Commission and Convenor and
Co-Chairman of the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian
Issues and of the Independent Working Group on the UN Financial
Emergency. He was, later, Coordinator for United Nations Humanitarian
and Economic Assistance Programmes Relating to the People of
Afghanistan, Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Assistance Relating to the Crisis between Iraq and Kuwait
and Executive Delegate of the Secretary-General for a United Nations
Inter-Agency Humanitarian Programme which dealt with problems of Iraq’s
border areas.
In 1977, Prince Sadruddin, together
with Denis de Rougemont and a few other friends, established in Geneva,
a think-tank, Groupe de Bellerive (named after his Geneva property),
and a non-profit organisation, the Bellerive Foundation, a leading
grassroots action group promoting environmental protection, natural
resource conservation and the safeguarding of life in all its forms.
A
long-standing trustee and former Vice-President of the World Wide Fund
for Nature International (WWF), Prince Sadruddin led Bellerive’s
support for threatened species. Bellerive was also amongst the first
organisations to warn of the potential human health hazards of modern
intensive farming methods.
A recipient of several
honorary doctorates and national decorations from states as diverse as
Egypt, Pakistan, Poland and the Vatican, as well as the United Nations
Human Rights Award, Prince Sadruddin was a Bourgeois d’Honneur de
Geneve, Commandeur de la Legion d’Honneur and most recently, named
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to
humanitarian causes and the arts.
Prince Sadruddin
was a keen collector since his youth and his knowledge was much
respected. His sale, some years ago, of his collection of primitive and
African art was considered a milestone. His collection of Islamic art
is widely known and admired. Miniatures and other pieces from the
collection were recently exhibited in London and Zurich. The collection
will be housed in a new museum being established by the Aga Khan in
Toronto. Prince Sadruddin was also a familiar figure at music festivals
and other cultural events, both in Europe and overseas. He was a keen
skier and an accomplished sailor throughout his life.
A
rare combination of reflective wisdom and outspoken activism, Prince
Sadruddin brought to each of his endeavours a commitment of intellect
and passion. Known for a sharp analysis of contemporary affairs, Prince
Sadruddin’s contribution to diplomacy as well as to the preservation of
the environment and cultural heritage drew on deeply rooted ethics.
Proud of his Muslim heritage, Prince Sadruddin has said that “the true
message of Islam is about brotherhood and solidarity, as well as care
for nature.” Ever conscious of his Persian roots, Prince Sadruddin
often saw the blend of the two worlds in which he lived -- that of the
East and that of the West -- as a means “to contribute to a better
understanding of problems of a global nature, which know no borders.”
Widely
known for his generosity and warm personality, Prince Sadruddin was
highly regarded and greatly respected by family and friends and held in
deep affection by the Ismaili Muslim Community around the world. His
support for the Community and for the work of the Ismaili Imamat in
improving the quality of life for people across the developing world
was unfailing.
Prince Sadruddin is survived by his
wife of 31 years, Princess Catherine (formerly Catherine Aleya Sursock)
as well as his nephews, His Highness the Aga Khan, Prince Amyn Aga
Khan, his niece, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan Embiricos, and his stepsons,
Alexandre, Marc and Nicholas Sursock.
