Abdul Ghaffar Khan International Peace-Builder Award to Professor Johan Galtung
EDITORIAL, 7 November 2011
by TMS Editor
Press Release
The American Muslim Alliance Foundation-AMA will honour Professor Johan Galtung, the founder of the academic discipline of peace studies, with the Abdul Ghaffar Khan International Peace-Builder Award. Prof. Galtung receives this award for his relentless dedication to deepening the understanding between Islam and The West. Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988), in whose name the prize is awarded, is also known as Sarhaddi Gandhi -the frontier Gandhi- and was a lifelong pacifist, a devout Muslim, and a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi.
In the tradition of Gandhi and Khan, Galtung has insisted for over half a century on the validity, efficiency and efficacy of constructive nonviolence as a means to end abuse, exploitation, social injustice and structural violence and has continued, time and time again, to point out positive, non destructive and mutually beneficial solutions for international conflicts. In September 2011, Johan Galtung was awarded the Eric Bye Memorial Prize, and in December 2010 he received the Corean Demilitarized Zone Peace Prize for his 40 years of continuous peace building engagement for the peaceful reunification of the two coreas.
The ceremony of the American Muslim Alliance will take place on Nov 15, 2011 in Washington, D.C.
Johan Galtung (1930), known worldwide as the Father of Peace Studies, is the recipient of numerous awards including the Alternative Nobel Peace Prize in 1987. He created the TRANSCEND Network for Conflict Transformation in 1993 and is currently the honorary president of the Galtung-Institut for Peace Theory and Peace Practice located in Germany. Many international institutions, including the United Nations, often consult him for technical advice on mediation and conflict transformation.
TRANSCEND – An International Conflict Resolution Network
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I am very glad to hear this news, Congratulation, Galtung sensei!!
Islam-West reconciliation is one of the most important peace issue, and peace workers should be encouraged through hearing about this award.
I am also very glad to hear the news. Although the ceremony for the award will be held next week, let me say now, “Congratulations to Prof. Galtung on being awarded the Abdul Ghaffar Khan International Peace-Builder Award for your outstanding, yes truly outstanding, effort for peace for more than half a century!”
I very happily join in celebrating this additional recognition of Professor Emeritus of Peace and Reconciliation, Johan Galtung. I have not been involved in any of his direct mediation services, but have sat and listened to his teachings for many hours, and have tried to share this teachings via radio, television, and in my other works here in Hawaii. His analytical approaches to conflicts and their resolution has been effective in so many areas, not only in peace studies. I have been able to apply his approach in the work of behavioral health, visioning Hawaii’s future, developing new concepts of deep cultures upon which we rebuild our future society, etc. Mahalo Johan. We celebrate your award which adds to the prestige for all of us who are engaged with you in your analytical approach in transcending the conflict.
Aloha
There are few peace builders like Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and few scholars and practitioners who deserve this prize more than Johan Galtung. It is particularly heartening to see that the American Muslim Alliance Foundation has taken this step. I salute Professor Galtung and AMA’s decision.