Pakistani professor gets King Abdullah II prize

Ambassador of Jordan Ibrahim Al Madani hands over award; Prof Arshad all praise for the Jordan leadership for the honour

DNA

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani professor Dr. Arshad Munir, Department of Islamic Studies Ghazi University has been awarded with King Abdullah II prize in connection with World Interfaith Harmony Week. The professor got the seond prize.

To decorate the professor with the prize Ambassador of Jordan to Pakistan Ibrahim Al Madani hosted a small but impressive ceremony and handed over the award to Dr. Arshad Munir.

It may be mentioned here that in 2010 King Abdullah II of Jordan introduced the World Interfaith Harmony Week at the plenary session of the 65^th UN General Assembly in New York, making the first week of February of every year a time to bring together all people, regardless of their faith or those with no faith to celebrate religious and cultural tolerance and understanding.

Prince Ghazi bin Muahmmad, Chief Advisor to King Abdullah II for Religious and Cultural Affairs and Personal Envoy of King Abdullah II presented the proposal at the UN General Assembly, where it was adopted unanimously as a UN observance Event on the 20^th of October 2010. The core principle of King Abdullah II’s initiative is “Love of God and love of the neighbor or, love of God or the neighbor”.

The Royal Aal Al Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan established the World Interfaith Harmony Week Prize in 2013 to recognize the three best events organized during the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week, which best promote the goals of the World Interfaith Harmony Week. Since 2014 this prize has been known as the King Abdullah II World Interfaith Week Prize.

Prof. Dr Arshad Munir while thanking the Jordan government and the Ambassador said that it was a great honour for him and his family to receive great prize from the great country. He also thanked His Majesty King Abdullah II.

He said the initiative of HM King Abdullah to introduce World Interfaith Harmony Week has definitely brought very positive impact in the whole world. The Amman message undoubtedly brought together the most authoritative figures of Islam to denounce terrorism and promote harmony within the world of Islam.