A young Iranian peace activist, Ehsan Mohammadi Mahallati, has been nominated for the 2016 UNESCO Madanjeet-Singh Prize for his contributions in a particularly meritorious and effective manner to tolerance and non-violence.
Mohammadi is a researcher in the fields of peace, intercultural relations, interfaith dialogue and a member of Carleton University and University of Tehran (UT), said the public relations office of the UT’s Center for International and Cultural Studies.
The UNESCO Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural and communication fields and aims to promote a spirit of tolerance and non-violence.
The prize was established in 1995 on the occasion of the United Nations Year for Tolerance and the 125th birth anniversary of India’s independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. It was also the year when UNESCO member states adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.
Mohammadi, 27, has founded several NGOs active in promotion of peace, tolerance and non-violence including the Ottawa Muslim Coordination Council, Carleton University Intercultural Committee and Iranian Culture Association of Carleton University, all in Canada, as well as UT’s Center for International and Cultural Studies.
He has also worked on the ‘World Against Violence and Extremism’ (WAVE) academic, cultural, artistic, social and educational project which has attracted a large number of academics, intellectuals, artists, students and citizens with great impact.
Supporting Policy of Inclusion
The WAVE Project is an initiative and a fundamental effort to promote and emphasize on the resolution ‘A World Against Violence and Violent Extremism’ adopted by the members of the General Assembly at the 68th session of the UN General Assembly in 2013 based on the idea of WAVE first proposed by President Hassan Rouhani at the same session.
“Violence and extremism is a common threat to our world and we have to truly work together to fight against terrorism,” Mohammadi added.
In recognition of a lifelong devotion to communal harmony and peace, the prize bears the name of its benefactor Madanjeet Singh, who was a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Indian artist, writer and diplomat.
The meeting of the international jury of the prize will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on June 20-21 to select the laureate for the 2016 edition.
Awarded every two years, on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance (November 16), the prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented $100,000.
