As we hear, read and reflect about the life of late president Ronald Reagan who passed away this week, here is an interesting anectdote about his brief contact with our Imam and his small contribution to the world peace worthy of reflection. It appeared in one of the Sunday papers in England.
UNCLE RONNIE'S FISHY TALE
President Reagan, praised for his success at the summit in Geneva, was rather less successful in carrying out a private domestic duty with which he had been charged during that tense week.
Mr. Reagan and wife were staying in the elegant 18th century Geneva mansion belonging to the Agakhan.
The Aga and his family had moved out of the imposing home to make way for the Reagans, and to do their bit for world peace.
The Aga's son, 11-year-old Hussain, concerned as are all children for the welfare of his pet, left a handwritten note for the President of the United States asking him to be sure to feed the goldfish.
Disaster
The fish tank was in the room to be used by Reagan as a study.
The President took his duties seriously and between meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev, sprinkled food upon the fish's watery home. Disater. It died.
Awed
Mr. Reagan, deeply concerned, dispatched an aide to buy not one but two goldfish to replace the creature that was now floating-fins up-in the little boy's room.
Young Hussain returned and at first was evidently awed by the wonders of procreation.
A note from Uncle Ronnie explained all.
Prince Hussain and USA President Ronald Reagan
letter by Prince Hussain Aga Khan to President Ronald Reagan
A letter by Prince Hussain Aga Khan dated 1985-09-12 to President Reagan regarding his fish that died while under the care of the USA President.
Re: Prince Hussain and USA President Ronald Reagan
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/11/18 ... 501138000/
UPI Archives
Nov. 18, 1985
President Reagan is running a tropical fish feeding service...
GENEVA -- President Reagan is running a tropical fish feeding service at the request of the 11-year-old son of the Aga Khan, who lives in the mansion that the Reagans are using during their summit visit, an official said Monday.
The boy, Hussain, son of the Prince Aga Khan and Princess Salima, left a note for the president asking him to feed his pet goldfish while the Reagans are occupying the 18th century mansion La Maison de Saussure, said Nancy Reagan's press secretary Elaine Crispen.
The boy wrote a personal note to the president asking him to feed his fish,' Crispen said. 'The president is following his instructions.'
The fish are in the boy's second-floor bedroom, which Reagan is using as his study in preparing for his meetings Tuesday and Wednesday with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
UPI Archives
Nov. 18, 1985
President Reagan is running a tropical fish feeding service...
GENEVA -- President Reagan is running a tropical fish feeding service at the request of the 11-year-old son of the Aga Khan, who lives in the mansion that the Reagans are using during their summit visit, an official said Monday.
The boy, Hussain, son of the Prince Aga Khan and Princess Salima, left a note for the president asking him to feed his pet goldfish while the Reagans are occupying the 18th century mansion La Maison de Saussure, said Nancy Reagan's press secretary Elaine Crispen.
The boy wrote a personal note to the president asking him to feed his fish,' Crispen said. 'The president is following his instructions.'
The fish are in the boy's second-floor bedroom, which Reagan is using as his study in preparing for his meetings Tuesday and Wednesday with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Re: Prince Hussain and USA President Ronald Reagan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/ ... 7be636250/
PAGE FROM HISTORY (1985 → 2026)
When even a fish becomes part of peace
“The White House announced yesterday that one of the tropical fish President Reagan was feeding during the Geneva summit had died while in the president’s care.”
The fish belonged to the young son of Aga Khan IV, then 11-year-old Prince Hussain. The family had quietly vacated their lakeside villa so it could be used during the Cold War meeting between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev at the Geneva Summit 1985.
Fast forward to today — 2026.
The Serena Hotels in Islamabad, part of the Aga Khan Development Network, is being used as part of the infrastructure surrounding U.S.–Iran peace talks — another high-stakes attempt at dialogue in a fragile world.
Different century. Different conflict.
Same quiet pattern:
Not the spotlight.
But the space around the spotlight.
Where history doesn’t always announce itself loudly —
sometimes it just leaves a room ready for conversation.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/ ... 7be636250/
PAGE FROM HISTORY (1985 → 2026)When even a fish becomes part of peace
“The White House announced yesterday that one of the tropical fish President Reagan was feeding during the Geneva summit had died while in the president’s care.”
The fish belonged to the young son of Aga Khan IV, then 11-year-old Prince Hussain. The family had quietly vacated their lakeside villa so it could be used during the Cold War meeting between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev at the Geneva Summit 1985.
Fast forward to today — 2026.
The Serena Hotels in Islamabad, part of the Aga Khan Development Network, is being used as part of the infrastructure surrounding U.S.–Iran peace talks — another high-stakes attempt at dialogue in a fragile world.
Different century. Different conflict.
Same quiet pattern:
Not the spotlight.
But the space around the spotlight.
Where history doesn’t always announce itself loudly —
sometimes it just leaves a room ready for conversation.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/ ... 7be636250/