Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gave keynote the March 7-8 Global Business & Peace Symposium & Awards. H.E. Ban Ki-moon established the Business for Peace platform in 2013 within the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate member organization committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, which notably include SGD 16 (Peace).
Soon after the establishment of Business for Peace, the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation launched the Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards, which are given out in the host country of each Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The inaugural awards was given the day before the opening of the Rio Paralympics, and this year’s awards was given in Seoul the day before the opening of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics.
Mr. Bambang Ismawan who founded Bina Swadaya, which through its 15 companies and training arms has helped about one million Indonesian Community Based Organizations, each with membership of 25 people or more, become self-reliant obtained a Gold Award this year. Working across faith lines, Bambang Ismawan has built the largest network of people and organizations working to eliminate poverty, build interfaith understanding and peace in Indonesia, the country with the world’s largest Muslim population.
The award is intended to support the United Nations in realizing sustainable development and promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Brian Grim, President of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, said, “It is remarkable that we have three medalists from Indonesia, demonstrating not only the importance of interfaith understanding in Indonesia but also the lessons Indonesians have for sharing.” Grim also noted, “Not surprisingly, because the highest award last year was also Indonesian, Mr. YW Junardy. “
Y.W. Junardy, IGCN President was also present at the event as the highest Awardee for last year.
See other Awardees here
