Fellowship of Peace

The Gandhi Memorial Center established the annual Fellowship of Peace Award to recognize the contribution and dedication of individuals toward the fellowship of peace in a variety of professions, vocations and service. Just as Mahatma Gandhi had many vocations in life and entered into many fields, his greatest work was to devote his efforts toward the cultivation of inner peace and share it with the world around him.

The first Fellowship of Peace Award was presented in 2004 to Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, DC, in honor of his efforts to build bridges to the culture and religion of Islam. Ambassador Ahmed is former High Commissioner of Pakistan to Great Britain.

The 2005 Award went to Dr. Vibha Gupta, Director of Magan Sangrahalaya in India, otherwise known as the Center for Women and Technology. She assisted her father Devendra Kumar to establish the Center of Science for the Villages in 1976 and, since then, has been working for the development of appropriate technologies for the rural Indian population in areas like renewable energy, housing, sanitation, forest and agro-based industries, health and women’s technology.

The 2006 Award went to Mr. Rajan Devadas (a recipient of Padma Shree) for his work as a photographer and photojournalist who has linked the people and culture of India and the United States through decades of photographs. Through his own good heart and good will, Mr. Devadas has shown the beauty that unfolds before the camera.

The 2007 Award went to Dr. Abdul Aziz Said, Founding Director of the International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program at American University, the Founder and Director of the American University Center for Global Peace and the Mohammed Said Farsi Professor of Islamic Peace Studies. Dr. Abdul Aziz Said was recognized for a life-long dedication to peace making and peace education.

Each recipient received a relief plaque of Mahatma Gandhi sculpted by Mr. Perry William Carsley. Mr. Carsley has produced many portraits in sculpture and painting as well as monumental art work including the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.