Anti-rape campaigners Nadia Murad and Dr Denis Mukwege, who were earlier in the day declared as the Nobel Peace Prize winners for 2018, have been nominated for this year’s “Mother Teresa Memorial Award” instituted by the city-based Harmony Foundation.
Announcing the nomination of Ms Murad and Dr Mukwege for prestigious ‘Mother Teresa Memorial Award -2018’, Harmony Foundation Chairman (Dr.) Abraham Mathai said: “Ms Murad will arrive in Mumbai on October 21 along with her fiancé to receive the award in person, while Mukwege has prior engagements and expressed his regrets. We shall send the award to him in Congo”.
Ms Murad, an Iraqi Yazidi who was tortured and raped by Islamic State terrorists and later became the face of a campaign to free the Yazidi people, is engaged to an Iraqi refugee Abid Shamo Kassim. Kassim has been granted US citizenship.
Dr Mukwege is a Congolese gynaecologist who, along with his colleagues, has treated tens of thousands of rape victims in warfare.
During Ms Murad’s visit to Mumbai to receive the “Mother Teresa Memorial Award”, the Harmony Foundation plans to hold a small celebrations at Hotel Taj Lands End, Bandra to mark Murad-Kassim engagement.
Recognised officially recognized by the Missionaries of Charity, the award includes a unique silhouette image of St. Mother Teresa designed in sparkling crystal and a citation for the winners. “There could not have been a better theme for this year’s ceremony. It is apt for both the winners - ‘Celebrate Her, Protect Her, Empower Her’,” Mathai added.
In the past, Nobel laureates who were among those nominated “Mother Teresa Memorial Award” included the office of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (UNHCR), Malala Yousafzai, the Dalai Lama and Medecins Sans Frontieres International.
Similarly, international dignitaries like Malaysia’s Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, UAE’s Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, UK’s Baroness Caroline Cox, India’s Priyanka Chopra have been among many others nominated for the Mother Teresa award .
The Harmony Foundation was launched in 2005 to foster communal and social harmony between various communities without discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, creed, gender, region or nationality, through the 'Mother Teresa Memorial Awards' and a panel discussion on various burning global issues.
