Sima Samar and Malala Yousufzai get Mother Teresa Award

Malala Yousufzai and Sima Samar get Mother Teresa AwardThe 2012 edition of the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice conferred by the Harmony Foundation went to Sima Samar, a former Afghan Vice President and Mala Yousufzai, the 15-year-old Pakistani girl attacked by the Taliban for her commitment to women's rights. The teenager is presently hospitalised in Birmingham, Great Britain, after she was shot in the head on 9 October by Muslim extremist. Abraham Mathai, President of Harmony Foundation said the two women were chosen for their courage for putting their lives on the line for an ideal.

You can browse more latest Missionaries News Updates

Sima Samar was recognised for her work in the field of women's rights, education and emancipation. After the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, she fled to Pakistan where she worked for 20 years to raise awareness about the plight of Afghan women. After the theocratic regime was overthrown, she became the most prominent woman in the country. Currently, she is in charge of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).

Malala Yousufzai is a teenager who was chosen for a special jury award in recognition of her courage and her determination to fight against discrimination against Pakistani girls in the Swat Valley, where the Taliban have imposed Sharia.

From Great Britain, Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousufzai sent a touching letter on his daughter's behalf thanking the Harmony Foundation for the award. "This means a lot to us," he writes, "especially during our time of crisis. Honouring Malala with this award sends out a strong message of support to those whose daughters have to fight and speak out for their basic right to education."

A special national awards were given to Nayyar Kuldeep, a famous Indian writer, for his contribution to India-Pakistan peace efforts; to Vinay Shetty, for furthering the cause of blood donation; Flavia Agnes, a lawyer, for her commitment to women's rights and fight against domestic violence; Gujarat police officer Sanjeev Bhatt, for his efforts in favour of communal dialogue and the Shillong Chamber Choir for promoting national integration through music. The Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission was also recognised for its work towards empowerment of women.

In October 2005, Abraham Mathai founded the Harmony Foundation to promote the idea of peace, dialogue and help for all communities without distinction of religion, caste, creed, gender or region. In 2007, the Foundation established the Mother Teresa Memorial International Awards for Social Justice in honour of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Browse Beautiful World Heritage Sites. More Missionaries News Updates

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

D G S Dhinakaran

Image
Dr.Duraisamy Geoffery Samuel Dhinakaran, was an Indian Evangelical Preacher and founder of the Jesus Calls Ministry, born on July 1, 1935 at Surandai in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, India. He attended St.John`s college, Palayamkottai and subsequently was awarded a Bachelor degree in Mathematics from Madras University in 1955. He had a very tough life being torn by the ailments of poverty and agony of unemployment. Unable to bear the agony of these problems, on February 11, 1955, Dr.D.G.S.Dhinakaran decided to put an end to his life. He started towards the nearest railway track in his village to throw himself before the speeding train when he was stopped by his uncle who introduced Jesus Christ. He experienced a sudden wave of divine peace and hope, flood his heart. His mind was transformed and he returned home enlightened. After this incident, things started happening in him supernaturally. There arose an unquenchable thirst in him to spend hours together poring over the lif...
More +

India Celebrates World Sunday School Day

Image
The "World Sunday School" was founded with a great challenge to save and shape the children community after seeing thousands and thousands of street children who neither go to school nor to Church by Serampore trio (William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward) in India at 1803. Every year first Sunday of November, the "World Sunday School Day", was observed by the Churches. The day is being observed to commemorate the day and its significant change of effective effects towards this modern world especially to the children of the Sunday School in nurturing their shape in way of how a good Christian by birth should adapt to grow in the society through the foot-steps of Christianity's religion principles.
More +

Charles Mead

Image
Rev.Charles Mead was the Father of the South Travancore Mission, born on 1st October 1792 at Bristol, Gloucester, England. He was brought up by his uncle Rev.John Hunt at Wakefield, Yorkshire, attended Gosport Missionary School and ordained at Chichester on 6th March 1816. According to the London Mission Society’s report, Rev.Charles Mead was nominated for Travancore as Rev.Ringeltaube’s successor. He married Rev.Hunt’s daughter. He left from England on 20th April, 1816 for Travancore and arrived at Madras on 28th August 1816 along with Rev.Richard Knill, who known as the pastor of the church at St Petersburg. He was received by Rev.Loveless, who was the first England missionary of Madras. Rev.Mead was detained a considerable time at Rev.Loveless’s house at Madras by his wife's ill-health and he studied Tamil. There after he gave early intimation of his arrival to Col.Munro and consulted him on various subjects related to the mission affairs and solicited help. After one year back,...
More +