Awards

A capacity crowd filled the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center for IFC’s Second Annual Bridge Builders Awards, honoring individuals from the Sikh, Muslim and Hindu faiths for their inter-religious work. Deepak Chopra, world renowned leader in mind-body medicine, and Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, presented awards and participated in a private dialogue with guests.

Awards were presented to: Tareq and Walid Alassi for their mother, Mrs. Mona Ismail (posthumously), a Muslim and former IFC Director of Events and Communications; IFC Board member Dr. Rajwant Singh, DDS, a Sikh leader active in peace, justice and religious freedom in the United States and India; and IFC Board member, Dr. K.N. Siva Subramanian, MD, Founder and Chair of the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Founder of the United Hindu-Jain Temples Association and Hindu Temples of the USA. The countries of Pakistan and India were also given awards for their ground-breaking work to open their borders and strengthen peace in South Asia.

During a spirited event honoring religious leaders from three faiths for their work toward religious understanding and collaboration, the challenge of achieving peace in a world rife with religious violence also was discussed during a private roundtable dialogue led by Archbishop Pietro Sambi and Deepak Chopra.