Jordan Times
Friday, November 18, 2005
King awarded first Pope John Paul II Peace Award
WASHINGTON (AP) — His Majesty King Abdullah was
awarded the first Pope John Paul II Peace Award on Wednesday in recognition of
his efforts to promote tolerance among the world's religions and tackle
extremism.
The King, who did not attend the award ceremony, accepted it in a letter “on
behalf of the people of my beloved Jordan and the entire Arab world. Millions
are courageously standing up for peace and tolerance — the traditional Muslim
values that are the heart of our heritage and our hope for the future.”
The King has been at the forefront of efforts to portray a positive image of
Islam in the light of terrorist acts carried out in its name.
Last year, the King assembled 180 Muslim scholars in Amman from 45 countries for
a conference called “True Islam and its Role in Modern Society.” The result was
“a joint statement of accord to help end abuses of our faith,” the King said in
September in a Washington speech. The statement became known as the “Amman
Message.”
In his letter accepting the award, the Monarch said, “The murderous bombings in
Amman last week demonstrate clearly the inhumanity, the bankrupt morality and
the anti-Islamic nature of extremism.” A total of 59 people died as a result of
triple suicide attacks at three of Amman's international hotels last Wednesday.
“We will not let our faith be hijacked by the violent few,” said the King in his
letter. “This was the driving force behind the Amman Message, issued a year ago,
which expresses Islam's teachings regarding humility and equality before God,
compassion, and peaceful coexistence among all human beings.” Msgr. William A.
Kerr, executive director of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Centre, which
presents the award in the name of the late pontiff, said King Abdullah “was
chosen because of his efforts to broker peace and understanding and for his
tireless work to peacefully settle conflicts that engender violence.”
Among those in the audience were representatives of 65 of the 130 countries
visited by Pope John Paul during his papacy. He died April 2, and the award was
established to honour his legacy.
“Justice, peace and prosperity would all suffer if our world becomes divided
into hostile camps. Our future depends on the respect we have for each other,
and the tolerance we exhibit in its truest sense: mutual understanding and
acceptance,” read the letter.