Amma receives New York Interfaith Center award
2 May 2006, Interfaith center, Newyork
 On
2nd May 2006, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) was presented
with the Interfaith Center of New York’s 4th Annual James
Parks Morton Interfaith Award. The Interfaith Center of New York
(ICNY) bestowed the award upon Amma for her outstanding role as
a spiritual leader and humanitarian, citing in specific her organization’s
massive relief work in the wake of the 2004 Asian tsunami. As part
of the award ceremony, Amma delivered an address on intra-religious
understanding and collaboration.
The award ceremony took place at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan.
Since its inception in 1997, the Interfaith Award has been presented
to 11 individuals who the ICNY feels are doing exceptional work
in fostering peace and harmony between the diverse religions of
the world. These include 1989 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate His Holiness
the Dalai Lama, 1984 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond
Tutu, 2003 Nobel Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi and U.S. President
Bill Clinton.
 This
year, five others were honored aside Amma: 2005 Noble Peace Prize
winner Dr. Mohammed Elbaradei, Director General of the International
Atomic Energy Agency; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer;
the renowned American actor Richard Gere, for his work as Director
of Healing the Divide and as Chairman of the Board of the International
Campaign for Tibet; and the pair of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the
Imam of Masjid Al-Farah, and Daisy Khan, the Executive Director
of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. (Photo: from left
to right are: Richard Gere, Amma, Stephen G. Breyer, Daisy Khan,
Abdul Rauf, James Parks Morton)
Speaking on "Understanding and Collaboration between Religions"
Amma said, "A one-word solution for almost all the problems
the world is facing today is 'compassion.' The essence of all religions
is in being compassionate to others. Religious leaders should highlight
the importance of compassion through the example of their own lives.
Nothing is more scarce in the world today than role-models. To bridge
this gap, religious leaders should come forward."
She emphasized, “While great souls give importance to spiritual
values, their followers often give more importance to institutions
and organizations. As a result, the very religions that were meant
to spread peace and tranquility by stringing people together on
the thread of love have become the cause of war and conflict.”
The award is named after the founder of the ICNY, the Very Reverend
James Parks Morton. Reverend Morton founded the ICNY after retiring
from his service as Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine,
the Seat of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, in 1997. He has been
the ICNY’s president ever since.
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