DAMASCUS - Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan on Thursday visited the site allocated to the establishment of the Aga Khan Academy in al-Sabboura, Damascus countryside.
Later, the Aga Khan, accompanied by Minister of Tourism Sa'dalla Agha al-Qal'a, visited Old Damascus and the old Damascene houses the network intends to invest them.
In a statement to SANA, the AKDN Resident Representative in Syria Mohammad Mufdi Seifo said the Aga Khan's visit to the site of the Academy comes to view the land allocated to with a total area of 15 hectares.
" The advanced methods of teaching in the world to be studied in the academy from the incubation stage to secondary one according to the international system, in Arabic, English and other languages for students excelled. Scholarships free of charge will be provided to the poor people, " Seifo mentioned.
He continued " The Academy is a non-profit one and the estimated total cost for implementing it is S.P. 3 billion. It comes within 17 academies in the world opened by the AKDN," Seifo added: " The Aga Khan tour in old Damascus comes for getting acquainted with the old houses that the network will invest.
It is a new project in Syria based on development to preserve these Archeological houses then investing them," He underlined that the Aga Khan Foundation would repair these houses with an approximate cost of S.P. 25 million within four years.
Regarding the Prince visit to Aleppo, Seifo underlined importance of the visit during which a Memorandum of establishing garden of Bab Quensrin in al-Saoda hill Sudan in Aleppo will be signed, the estimated cost of this project is between $ 16 - 20 million in addition to signing a Convention on the rehabilitation and investment of Serail.
By Ghossoun
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2008
