Award Recipients

Award Recipients

Every year, ICERMediation presents honorary award to individuals and organizations who have contributed significantly to the promotion of a culture of peace among, between and within ethnic and religious groups in countries around the world. Below, you will meet the recipients of our Honorary Award.

2022 Award Recipients

Dr. Thomas J. Ward, Provost and Professor of Peace and Development, and President (2019-2022), Unification Theological Seminary New York, NY; and Dr. Daisy Khan, D.Min, Founder and Executive Director, Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality & Equality (WISE) New York, NY.

Dr. Basil Ugorji presenting the ICERMediation Award to Dr. Thomas J. Ward

Honorary Award presented to Dr. Thomas J. Ward, Provost and Professor of Peace and Development, and President (2019-2022), Unification Theological Seminary New York, in recognition of his outstanding contributions of major significance to global peace and development. 

The Honorary Award was presented to Dr. Thomas J. Ward by Basil Ugorji, Ph.D., President and CEO of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 during the opening session of the 7th Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding held at Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York, from Tuesday, September 27, 2022 – Thursday, September 29, 2022.

2019 Award Recipients

Dr. Brian Grim, President, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF) and Mr. Ramu Damodaran, Deputy Director for Partnership and Public Engagement in the United Nations Department of Public Information’s Outreach Division.

Brian Grim and Basil Ugorji

Honorary Award presented to Dr. Brian Grim, President, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF), Annapolis, Maryland, in recognition of his outstanding contributions of major significance to religious freedom and economic growth.

Mr. Ramu Damodaran and Basil Ugorji

Honorary Award presented to Mr. Ramu Damodaran, Deputy Director for Partnership and Public Engagement in the United Nations Department of Public Information’s Outreach Division; Editor-in-Chief of the United Nations Chronicle, Secretary of the United Nations Committee on Information, and Chief of United Nations Academic Impact—a network of over 1300 academic and research institutions around the world committed to United Nations goals and ideals, in recognition of his outstanding contributions of major significance to international peace and security.

The Honorary Award was presented to Dr. Brian Grim and Mr. Ramu Damodaran by Basil Ugorji, President and CEO of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, on October 30, 2019 during the opening session of the 6th Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding held at Mercy College – Bronx Campus, New York, from Wednesday, October 30 – Thursday, October 31, 2019.

2018 Award Recipients

Ernest Uwazie, Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Division of Criminal Justice, and Director, Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution, California State University, Sacramento and Mr. Broddi Sigurdarson from the Secretariat of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Ernest Uwazie and Basil Ugorji

Honorary Award presented to Ernest Uwazie, Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Division of Criminal Justice, and Director, Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution, California State University, Sacramento, in recognition of his outstanding contributions of major significance to alternative dispute resolution.

Broddi Sigurdarson and Basil Ugorji

Honorary Award presented to Mr. Broddi Sigurdarson from the Secretariat of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, in recognition of his outstanding contributions of major significance to indigenous peoples issues.

The Honorary Award was presented to Prof. Uwazie and Mr. Sigurdarson by the President and CEO of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, Basil Ugorji, on October 30, 2018 during the opening session of the 5th Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding held at Queens College, City University of New York, from Tuesday, October 30 – Thursday, November 1, 2018.

2017 Award Recipients

Ms. Ana María Menéndez, Senior Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General on Policy and Noah Hanft, President and CEO of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, New York.

Basil Ugorji and Ana Maria Menendez

Honorary Award presented to Ms. Ana María Menéndez, Senior Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General on Policy, in recognition of her outstanding contributions of major significance to international peace and security.

Basil Ugorji and Noah Hanft

Honorary Award presented to Noah Hanft, President and CEO of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, New York, in recognition of his outstanding contributions of major significance to international conflict prevention and resolution.

The Honorary Award was presented to Ms. Ana María Menéndez and Mr. Noah Hanft by the President and CEO of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, Basil Ugorji, on November 2, 2017 during the closing ceremony of the 4th Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding held at the Community Church of New York’s Assembly Hall and Hall of Worship in New York City, from Tuesday, October 31 – Thursday, November 2, 2017.

2016 Award Recipients

The Interfaith Amigos: Rabbi Ted Falcon, Ph.D., Pastor Don Mackenzie, Ph.D., and Imam Jamal Rahman

Interfaith Amigos Rabbi Ted Falcon Pastor Don Mackenzie and Imam Jamal Rahman with Basil Ugorji

Honorary Award presented to the Interfaith Amigos: Rabbi Ted Falcon, Ph.D., Pastor Don Mackenzie, Ph.D., and Imam Jamal Rahman in recognition of their outstanding contributions of major significance to interfaith dialogue.

Basil Ugorji and Don Mackenzie

Basil Ugorji, President and CEO of ICERMediation, presenting the Honorary Award to Pastor Don Mackenzie.

Basil Ugorji and Ted Falcon

Basil Ugorji, President and CEO of ICERMediation, presenting the Honorary Award to Rabbi Ted Falcon.

Basil Ugorji and Jamal Rahman

Basil Ugorji, President and CEO of ICERMediation, presenting the Honorary Award to Imam Jamal Rahman.

The Honorary Award was presented to the Interfaith Amigos: Rabbi Ted Falcon, Pastor Don Mackenzie, and Imam Jamal Rahman by Basil Ugorji, President and CEO on November 3, 2016 during the closing ceremony of the 3rd Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding held on Wednesday, November 2 – Thursday, November 3, 2016 at the Interchurch Center in New York City. The Ceremony included a multi-faith, multi-ethnic, and multi-national prayer for global peace, which brought together conflict resolution scholars, peace practitioners, policymakers, religious leaders, and students from diverse fields of study, professions, and faiths, and participants from more than 15 countries. The “Prayer for Peace” ceremony was accompanied by an inspiring music concert performed by Frank A. Haye & The Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir.

2015 Award Recipients

Abdul Karim Bangura, Renowned Peace Scholar with Five Ph.Ds. (Ph.D. in Political Science, Ph.D. in Development Economics, Ph.D. in Linguistics, Ph.D. in Computer Science, and Ph.D. in Mathematics) and Researcher-in-residence of Abrahamic Connections and Islamic Peace Studies at the Center for Global Peace in the School of International Service, American University, Washington DC.

Abdul Karim Bangura and Basil Ugorji

Honorary Award presented to Professor Abdul Karim Bangura, Renowned Peace Scholar with Five Ph.Ds. (Ph.D. in Political Science, Ph.D. in Development Economics, Ph.D. in Linguistics, Ph.D. in Computer Science, and Ph.D. in Mathematics) and Researcher-in-residence of Abrahamic Connections and Islamic Peace Studies at the Center for Global Peace in the School of International Service, American University, Washington DC., in recognition of his outstanding contributions of major significance to ethnic and religious conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and the promotion of peace and conflict resolution in conflict areas.

The Honorary Award was presented to Professor Abdul Karim Bangura by the President and CEO of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, Basil Ugorji, on October 10, 2015 during the closing ceremony of the 2nd Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding held at the Riverfront Library in Yonkers, New York.

2014 Award Recipients

Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook, 3rd Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom for the United States of America

Basil Ugorji and Suzan Johnson Cook

Honorary Award presented to Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook, 3rd Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom for the United States of America, in recognition of her outstanding contributions of major significance to international religious freedom.

The Honorary Award was presented to Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook by the President and CEO of the International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, Basil Ugorji, on October 1, 2014 during the  1st Annual International Conference on Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding held in Midtown Manhattan, New York.