The Norwegian “14th of August” Committee announced on Friday at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo that it will award three international religious leaders for building bridges across religions. One of them is Father Ioan Sauca, Acting General Secretary of The World Council of Churches.
The announcement was made by Aamir Sheikh, Secretary-General of the “14th of August” Committee and by Kjersti Fløgstad, Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo.
The committee awards the “Brobyggerprisen” – Bridge Builder Award – to persons and institutions who have contributed to building bridges across individuals, nations and societies, both in Norway and internationally.
This year, the prize goes to three of the world’s most important, religious leaders and heads of the large, monotheistic religions: Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, Acting General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Michael Melchior, Chief Rabbi and leader of the Religious Peace Initiative in Israel and Muslim leader Muhammad Bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa.
“The time is right for sending a clear message of peace to the world, about the importance of working together with respect, love and tolerance for our differences, the way it is anchored in the three monotheistic religions,” explained the jury.
The Bridge Builder Award will be handed out in a ceremony in Oslo on August 25.
The “14th of August” Committee was established in 2003 to celebrate the Day of Pakistan in Norway and to reduce the distance between the Pakistani and the Norwegian community in this country. The committee joins debates in society and promotes reducing distance and misunderstandings.
See also:
Photo credit: Forumchretienlyon2018.org
