Belfast: A Dubai-based peace awards body has signed an agreement with the Global Peace Foundation on the sidelines of a conference in Northern Ireland.
The memorandum, signed last week between the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace and officials from the Maryland-based non-profit group, is intended to contribute to the development of peace partnerships.
The agreement “came upon several visits by the Award to various global peace organisations,” said the Dubai-based organisation’s secretary-general, Ahmad Khalfan Al Mansouri.
Al Mansouri added that the award intended to sign more such agreements in the last quarter of this year.
The signing took place during a three-day conference in the Northern Irish capital of Belfast, which aimed to look at the “tension between promoting a shared identity and embracing diversity”, according to organisers.
Founded by a 2011 decree, the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for World Peace aims to “accurately and fairly highlight Islam’s teachings of peace”, according to a press release.
The award also aims to “build bridges of cooperation between diverse cultures”, recognising individuals and organisations that make “outstanding contributions to peace and humanitarian pursuits”.
Nominees will be evaluated according to world-class standards, to ensure credibility and motivate higher accomplishments.
Earlier this month, the Award launched ‘Peace Libraries’, a plan that sees small libraries placed in residential areas. The mini-libraries encourage people to take a book and donate another one, promoting cultural exchange through reading.
