One of the world's most influential leaders discusses pluralism, democracy and Canada's potential for world leadership.

In Where Hope Takes Root, a collection of talks given over the past six years, the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims-a sizable number of whom live in Canada-sets out the principles that inform his vision of peaceful, productive societies. He returns again and again to the three cornerstones upon which his many years of work in the developing world are based: democracy, pluralism and civil society. Democracy, always fragile, must be nurtured in practical and flexible ways, he says. Pluralism must be embraced in both fact and spirit. And engaged civil society, which the Aga Khan defines broadly as including doctors' and journalists' associations, women's groups, social movements and village organizations, must be actively supported in countries around the globe.