MONTREAL/November 12, 2003—
MONTREAL/Thursday, November 6, 2003 ñ On Monday, November 10, at 10 am., Dr. Lawrence Carter, Dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, will confer the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Award to Dr. Frederick Lowy, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University, and to human rights activist, Dr. Monique Mujawamariya, for their work in the advancement of peace, human rights and education.
The ceremony will be held in the J.A de SËve Cinema in the atrium of the J.W. McConnell Building (1400 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West), and will officially launch the exhibition Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Peace, on public display in the atrium until November 22. A French version of the exhibit will be displayed from November 17 to the 22nd. The exhibitions have received international attention and been on display in parliament buildings, city halls and universities world-wide.
The award is named after the three individuals whose lives are the subject of the exhibition ñ Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Daisaku Ikeda ñ three men from different cultures and countries, who have followed a common path of profound dedication and achievement in improving the lives of all peoples.
Dr. Lowy, a psychiatrist, bioethicist and academic, came to Concordia during a turbulent time in the University's history. Through his wisdom and leadership, Concordia has emerged a stronger, healthier institution with a public commitment to diversity, discussion, rights and responsibilities.
Dr. Monique Mujawamariya is well-known internationally for her human rights work in Rwanda during the genocide of the early 1990's. Now a Quebec resident, she established Fonds Africa in 1998, spreading the message of non-violence to youth.
Dr. Lowy and Dr. Mujawamariya join an elite group of previous honorees, including the Hon. Denzel Douglas, Prime Minister, St. Kitts & Nevis; Andrew Young, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Aftab Seth, Ambassador to Japan, Government of India; Lincoln C. Almond, Governor of Rhode Island; and The Hon. Lois Elsa Hole, C.M., Lieutenant Governor, Province of Alberta, to name just a few.
For more information about the award and the exhibition, please contact Shiro Nishite of SGI Canada Concordia Student Club, the event organizers, at (514) 935-2527. A complete list of previous award recipients and exhibition venues are available on Concordia's Public Affairs and Government Relations Department web-site.
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