MALAYSIAN ACTIVIST TO RECIEVE GANDHI-KING-IKEDA PEACE AWARD

Anwar Fazal, a leading Malaysian civil society  activist has been awarded the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Peace Award from Morehouse College, a leading Black American University in Atlanta , Georgia. The Civil Rights activist Rev. Martin Luther King jr. was an alumni of the college ,which also holds his archives.  The citation described that the award was for Anwar's  "innovations and tireless endeavors to advocate for  the welfare of consumers and the protection of the environment not only in  Malaysia, but throughout  the world." Anwar was described as " a giant in the effort to preserve the health and well
  being of the inhabitants of our planet."

  Anwar Fazal was a former President of Consumers International and a key founder of several global citizens network around hazazardous substances, consumer rights and  public health eg Pesticides Action Network(PAN), Health Action International(HAI), International Baby Food Action Network(IBFAN) and the World Alliance of Breastfeeding Action(WABA). He currently chairs the Taiping Peace Initiative, the Malaysian Interfaith Network and ia a Director of Citizens International.
  This prestigious award was created to celebrate the lives and work of three men from three different  cultures and countries has been recognized  internationally.

  Mohandas Gandhi's civil disobedience and nonviolent  demonstrations won  greater freedom and ultimately independence for 400  million citizens of  India after three centuries of British rule. Dr.  commitment to peace and justice inspired the
  American movement for civil and  human rights, giving voice to the hopes and dreams  of the dispossessed  throughout the world. Dr. Daisaku Ikeda's work as a  leading Buddhist  philosopher, author, educator, humanist, founder and  social activist has led  to the non-violent democratization of Japan's  feudalistic social structures intercultural and interfaith  dialogue and cooperation for global peace.

  The award was conferred upon Anwar Fazal for his "prolific work to protect the  health and welfare of consumers worldwide" and  also for his endeavors to  promote social ethics, human rights and  environmental protection." He was described as having  "wonderfully embodied the noble virtues of the  individuals for which this award was named."

Anwar Fazal was confered the award on 21 October in Penang , Malaysia by  Dr.Lawrence Edward Carter Sr.,Dean, Professor of Religion, and College Curator and Founder, Gandhi Institute for Reconciliation

Further information on Anwar Fazal can be obtained from   www.anwarfazal.net
Further information on Morehouse College can be obtained from   www.morehouse.ed/aboutmc/chapel/index.html