As part of its ongoing initiatives to educate diverse audiences about the rich heritage materials housed at The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) and to enhance access to these collections, the Ismaili Special Collections Unit (ISCU) took part in History Day 2025, a national event bringing together archives, libraries, and museums to celebrate and share historical resources.
Held on 4 November 2025, History Day and its companion History Day: Discover Collections website are joint initiatives of the Institute of Historical Research, Senate House Library, and members of the History Research Libraries Committee. The event connects students, researchers, and history enthusiasts with information professionals from universities, archives, and museums across the UK and beyond, helping them explore and discover a wide range of historical resources.
This year, ISCU highlighted several dissemination initiatives designed to expand access to the Institute’s unique heritage materials. Featured content included:
- A photo gallery and in memoriam article dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan IV
- Details of the upcoming ISCU Conference, IsmailisAdherents of a branch of Shi’i Islam that considers Ismail, the eldest son of the Shi’i Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (d. 765), as his successor. and Empire: Politics, Religion and Culture, ca. 1800 to Present (10–11 November 2025)
- Podcast episodes from the Oral History Project, featuring Dr Mohamed Keshavjee and two women from Hunza, North Pakistan – BibiA word of East Turkish origin which means old mother or a grandmother. More Afroze and Siramdam Begum
- The exhibition Muslim Expressions from South Asia: Learning, Community and Voluntary Service
Through its participation in History Day, ISCU continues to raise awareness of the rich heritage collections at IIS and to engage students, academics, and the wider public with the Institute’s manuscripts, archives, and oral histories.
Visit pages below to learn more about the Ismaili Special Collections Unit and its ongoing research, exhibitions, and outreach projects.
