His Highness the Aga Khan is the forty-ninth hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He assumed the office of the Imamat in July 1957, making 2007 the Golden Jubilee of his spiritual leadership. The Aga Khan Development Network, a group of institutions and agencies, including non-profit hospitals and schools, is present in over thirty countries and works actively to eradicate poverty. One of the Network's recent projects is the Global Centre for Pluralism, which will be established in Ottawa in co-operation with the Government of Canada. The Aga Khan became an honorary Companion of the Order of Canada in 2005.