2024 HM King Abdullah II UN World Interfaith Harmony Week Prize Winners Announced
The 2024 HM King Abdullah II UN World Interfaith Harmony Week Prize winners have been announced.
“The WIHW promotes the common basis of “Love of God and Love of the Neighbour, or Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbour”. Its message invites everyone, excludes no one, and is purely voluntary.”— HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad
AMMAN, JORDAN, March 22, 2024 / EINPresswire.com / — On September 23rd 2010, HM King Abdullah II of Jordan introduced a World Interfaith Harmony Week at the Plenary Session of the 65th UN General Assembly in New York. This resolution was adopted by the UN on October 20, 2010, and the first week of February, every year, has been declared a UN World Interfaith Harmony Week.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/interfaith-harmony-week
https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/
The Background
HM King Abdullah has long been known for his peace initiatives including The Amman Message and the Common Word.
The UN World Interfaith Harmony Week seeks to promote the common basis of “Love of God and Love of the Neighbour, or Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbour” among people as a means to safeguard world peace. Its message invites everyone, excludes no one, and is purely voluntary.
The HM King Abdullah II World Interfaith Harmony Week Prize was established to recognize three events which best promote the goals of the World Interfaith Harmony Week.
The prizes are:
First: $5,000 and a gold medal
Second: $3,000 and a silver medal
Third: $1,000 and a bronze medal
The 2024 HM King Abdullah II World Interfaith Harmony Week Prize
Over 1180 events were held in honour of the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week 2024 and from these 59 reports were submitted for the prizes. The judges are highly appreciative of all the efforts of all those who held events and applied for the prize. They wish they could reward all who held an event, but are consoled by the fact that good deeds are their own reward so that everyone who held an event—whether they applied for the prize or not—is a true winner.
In judging, the judges took into consideration the excellence of efforts, collaboration and impact of events. They looked carefully at efforts made despite scantiness of resources, unfavourable political and social climates, and also took into consideration consistent efforts made over the years. They further took into consideration whether events were consistent with the text of the UN Resolution establishing the Prize. Accordingly, judges did not reward movements towards religious syncretism but rather rewarded events which respected each religion as it is. Finally, in accordance with the terms of the Prize, judges rewarded events specifically celebrating the World Interfaith Harmony Week rather than good interfaith work in general.
Accordingly, the judges are delighted to announce:
First Prize
BULGARIA
Report 24 – Gift of Love: An Interfaith Art Performance Promoting Harmony and Tolerance
https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/view-reports/?report=78297
In commemoration of the United Nations’ World Interfaith Harmony Week “Bridges – Eastern European Forum for Dialogue” Association orchestrated a captivating interfaith art performance titled “Gift of LOVE.” within the hallowed halls of Plovdiv’s Bishop’s Cathedral, a site steeped in historical and spiritual significance since Roman antiquity.
Second Prize
Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity
USA
Report 55 – “Who Is Your Neighbor?”
https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/view-reports/?report=79079
For the third year, Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity celebrated the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony by a weeklong campaign providing opportunities for interfaith engagement, dialogue, and volunteerism. It encouraged participants to learn about the UN initiative, explore how the concept of neighborliness translates across faith traditions, and discover how diverse faith groups can put faith into action by advocating to support affordable housing/homeownership in our local community.
Third Prize
Journalists and Writers Foundation
USA
Report 13 – Creating a Safe Space for Interfaith Dialogue: Skills and Reflections
https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/view-reports/?report=78095
Report 14 – Youth Interfaith Digital Storytelling Campaign
https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/view-reports/?report=78103
The event focused on the importance of interfaith experiences, knowledge, and skills for fostering interfaith and intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, appreciating similarities, and respecting differences. Speakers discussed key skills necessary for effective interfaith dialogue and offered advice on how individuals can enhance these skills. Additionally, they recommended essential competencies for young people to engage in interfaith dialogue and understanding through interfaith education, to enhance overall dialogue literacy.
https://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/2024-winners/
Many, many congratulations to the winners and to all those who took part in World Interfaith Harmony Week 2024.