Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2007 for the project “Amiriya Madrasa, Yemen, Conservation of the mural paintings”
In 2007, the entire restoration project for the Amiriya Madrasa in Rada, Yemen, conducted under the direction of Selma Al Radi, received the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture, along with eight other projects. During the long and complex program, the CCA treated the wall paintings in the prayer hall from 2003 to 2005.
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is an award recognized by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture for architectural restorations that have contributed substantially to meet the needs and aspirations of societies in which the Muslim presence is alive. The aspects that most influence the selection of the winning projects are the contributions they bring to stimulate and respond to spiritual and cultural aspects of Islamic society, besides fulfilling the physical, social and economic needs of the people. The award’s objective is to support and encourage projects that reflect the pluralism that has always characterized the Muslim community. The rigorous nomination and selection process for the winning projects make this award the world’s most important in the professional sphere.
The jury selected the Amiriya Madrasa conservation project for the following reasons: “In its reliance on local knowledge and experience, the project contributed to the revival of lost building and ornamental techniques. The project represented a milestone in protection of the cultural heritage of Yemen.”
The award ceremony was held on 4 September 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia. The archaeologist Selma Al Radi received the award for guiding this complex program for more than twenty-six years.