Mevlana Rumi, one of the most renowned poets of our time, created heart-touching and timeless poetry. In honor of his legacy, is the 2013 Rumi Peace and Dialogue at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. More than 160 people attended the dinner and awards ceremony."Every year we unite individuals and organizations that have somehow contributed to peace dialogue and understanding. These awards have now built up a very important reputation – various institutions, government think tanks and education institutions so they're very well-received and anticipated here in Washington D.C," said Emre Celik, President of the Rumi Forum.
Three influential people were recognized for contributing their time, energy and leadership to interfaith dialogue.
Chef Jose Andres, one of Time's 100 Most Influential People, was honored with the Extraordinary Commitment to Community Service Award. He spearheaded feeding and educational programs to serve the needy in Haiti and Africa."I bring people together in a restaurant. This is what I do in my community service to make sure that food is an agent for opportunity to bring dialogue and peace," he said.
Annette Lantos, an advocate for human rights, received the Extraordinary Commitment to Peace Award for aiding those who were religiously persecuted in America."I am very much devoted to the Gulen people and to all that they stand for. I fought for their human rights for many years in Congress and I'm really very thankful for this award," she said.
Professor Dr. Ali Mazrui played an important role in modern Islamic fundamentalism.He was named as one of the world's top 100 public individuals and received the Extraordinary Commitment to Education Award. "To receive this award under the umbrella of Rumi who was a universality figure, this has been an additional reward," he said.
These inspirational individuals have dedicated their lives to service, a virtue Rumi strongly believed in. On this special night, their love and sacrifice for humanity continue the legacy of the great mystic and poet.
Source: Ebru News
