CFP/Ghouse nominated for 2017 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize

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Thank you for nominating us for the “2017 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize.”
Included  are;

  1. Nomination Notification
  2. Innovative leadership
  3. Impact of work – impact and influence
  4. Summary of Mike Ghouse building cohesive societies https://centerforpluralism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/3.-MikeGhouse-Building-Cohesive-Societies-68-Pages.pdf
  5. What we do at Center for Pluralism – Programs (over 20 years) to build a cohesive America – https://centerforpluralism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/4.-CPF-Programs-4-Pages.pdf

The bottom line to our work is security- you should not feel insecure about your religion, race, ethnicity, or any other uniqueness. You should look forward to retiring in peace and live without apprehensions.
We have several programs lined up to bring about the changes we all desire, please donate generously at https://centerforpluralism.com/
Mike Ghouse
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Nomination Notification
Dear Mike,
Congratulations! It is my great pleasure to inform you that you have been nominated for the 2017 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize.
This nomination is a resounding acknowledgement of your standing as a leader who has demonstrated significant achievements in building inclusive and socially-just communities in the U.S. Your nomination reflects your dedicated service and commitment to the principles of peace, justice, and inclusion.
The Peace Education Prize carries with it a $30,000 award and public recognition of the impact of your work to build a stronger, more inclusive, and more peaceful society. The Prize winner will be announced in early fall and honored at the El-Hibri Foundation’s annual Peace Awards Ceremony on October 19, 2017. We hope you will be able to join us; please RSVP here if you are able to attend.
Congratulations again on receiving this important recognition, and we thank you for your inspiring commitment to diversity, inclusion, and empowering others to create positive social change.
Sincerely,
Farhan Latif
President

Innovative Leadership*

Describe any significant or innovative initiatives, organizations, or movements the nominee has founded that model and advance inclusion and/or build collaboration across diverse groups.
Mike has done things that were never done before, his innovative ways of mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill has earned him a place in the society.  He brings people together on social, political, cultural and religious platforms, so that they learn about each other firsthand paving the way for respecting the otherness of others and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of us. Thus, conflicts fade and solutions emerge.
He is a born leader and continually paves the way for building inclusive societies. His greatest contribution to America is building a cohesive America, where no American has to live in apprehension, tension or fear of the other. It is all about research, action and results.
Mike reaches out to the conservatives as well as the progressives in mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill.
He is the founder of the Center for Pluralism (CFP), and brings Americans Together in social, cultural, political, religious, civic and other settings.  CFP is also known as America Together Foundation on Fox News in over 130 appearances with Sean Hannity and Stuart Varney.  He is also the founder of World Muslim Congress a think tank with over 1800 subscribers committed to bring common sense to the Muslim world.
Here are some of Mike’s initiatives;
Annual Thanksgiving Celebrations & Awards Night (Since 1994 and 20 events)
A time of gratitude and celebration of cultural pluralism and appreciating men and women amidst us, who have learned to accept each other as they are and how they express their joys through their unique cultural dances.  Over the years, nearly 50 individuals have been awarded the prestigious “Pluralist Award” www.thanksgivingcelebrations.org

13 Years of Annual Unity Day USA (09/11/17)
Bringing Americans Together to rededicate our pledge to one nation with liberty and justice for all with immense results of integration. He has many stories to tell in how people have learned to respect people of other faiths. His 9/11 story is read by over 3 million people.  www.UnitydayUSA.com
12 years of Annual Holocaust & Genocides Remembrance Day (01/28/2018)
A purposeful event to reflect on human failings, with the intention of learning to prevent such happenings as individuals, and reaffirm, “Never Again”.  www.HolocaustandGenocides.com
3rd Annual Series Understanding the essence of Religion (Monthly)
I would rather hear about your faith from you than someone else. Learn about the 13 different faith traditions first hand from their practitioners. https://centerforpluralism.com/workshops/
2nd Annual Festival of Faiths (12/24/2017)
Annual event celebrating all faiths at the Jefferson Memorial. What a joy it is when Americans come together. https://centerforpluralism.com/festivals/
Muslim Speakers Series
The traditionalists have reduced Islam to five pillars.  Through research and discussions, and to communicate precisely about Islam, a common-sense religion, we have established “Muslim Speakers” an educational series to communicate how Islam contributes to a cohesive world where every human is valued and considered a part of the web. We have completed the first batch with three sessions and Insha Allah, and the 2nd session will begin in March 2018.
Our focus is on the foundational Islamic values like Justice, freedom, trust, truth, forgiveness, security and six other values. It is time to speak how Islam contributes towards building cohesive societies.   With funding, we would like to take this course nationally, it is time we narrate Islam’s value in addition to the rituals.

Impact and Influence*

How has the nominee impacted or influenced others and catalyzed positive cultural change that promotes mutual understanding, respect, inclusion, and collaboration?
One person can make a difference; indeed, all the good and bad things of life start with an individual and over the years they become a movement.  Mike has had significant impact on the society at large.
Quran Burning, Mulberry, Florida
He has changed the perceptions of fellow Americans towards Muslims in Mulberry, Florida – they welcomed Muslims and have nothing but praises. Mike handled the case of Quran burning Pastor Terry Jones in applying the principle of Jesus, Muhammad, Gandhi and Mother Teresa.  He accomplished his two-fold goal –  Fellow Americans to focus on individual criminals and not look to religion to fix the problems, and Muslims around the world to think of resolving conflicts in the most peaceful manner in the principles taught in Quran and Prophet’s examples. The most important message is honoring free speech and what is sacred.  The issue was covered by over 300 Newspapers around the world and by major TV channels.  Subject to funds a documentary is planned to communicate the idea of free speech to the world-wide audience and set a model for resolving conflicts.  https://quranburningpastorterryjones.blogspot.com/
Quran Bashing, Dallas, Texas
Pastor Robert Jeffress said, “Quran is a false book written by false prophet….”  Mike took the topic head on with Prophet Muhammad’s formula of mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill.
Never in the history of Islam, a unique formula was applied in clarifying Quran.  We compiled 60 verses falsely assumed to be violent, and through public participation and the Clergy from ten different faiths, we dared to read those verses in public for the first time. The public walked out of the hall with a clear understanding that Quran is a book of Pluralism committed to build cohesive societies, we busted the myths about Quran teaches Violence.
Now, those ten Pastors and Clergy of other faiths will clarify any misunderstandings about Quran to their congregants.   It is an incredible story with videos, press reports and the conference and feedback at www.QuraanConference.com
Positive engagement with Fox News brings Positive results
The biggest mistake public makes in general and Muslims make is to refuse to engage with the ones who are opposed. Mike believes in Mother Teresa’s advice – “If you want to make peace with your enemies, go talk with them, talking with friends does not change the equation.”
Mike was on Sean Hannity show over 110 times, and after a long series of conversations with him on a personal level, Hannity quit bashing Quran, he has a copy of the Quran. He also understands the difference between Public and Personal Sharia that Mike has articulated.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd-mgSFziII
Stuart Varney of Fox News not only quit using the phrase “Muslim Terrorist” but promoted our event on Fox News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSti7f9F-A
Intra-faith events
Of the many accomplishments on pluralism work, he also worked on intra-faith conferences. The first ever conference between Shia, Sunni and Ahmadiyya Muslims was organized and moderated by Mike at the Boniuk Institute with Rice University in Houston with extensive media coverage. Several intra-faith events continue to be organized  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNGfBUXGm4I
Standing up for others (Activism and results – a book in making)
Mike lives what he preaches. In the blog standing up for others, he has set an example of standing up for almost every representation of Americans. Standing up for others is the right thing to do, every human goes through a period of invincibility to vulnerability, if we don’t stand up for those who are susceptible, then who will stand up for us when we are unguarded? Mike is blessed to have stood up for the rights of Atheists, Baha’i, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jain, Jews, Native Americans, Sikhs, Pagans and Zoroastrians – some of the work is chronicled at www.Standingupforothers.com
Due to the length of the article, we have included only a few incidents here.
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A few of the 4000 Videos;

  1. Understanding essence of religion, all the beautiful religions – https://centerforpluralism.com/workshops
  2. Standing up for others – all communities from Atheist to Zoroastrians http://www.Standingupforothers.com
  3. Changing Islamophobia Rhetoric on Fox News- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSti7f9F-A
  4. Fox News Quran Bashing no more on Quran – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd-mgSFziII
  5. Islam is Pluralism – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmNWsErB-NQ
  6. Dealing with Quran Burning Pastor – a movie to be made – https://quranburningpastorterryjones.blogspot.com/
  7. First intra-faith dialogue between Shia, Sunni and Ahmadiyya Muslims – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNGfBUXGm4I
  8. Dealing with Quran burning Pastor Jeffress – Quraanconference.com
  9. Googling Mike Ghouse name with any religion, you will find umpteen articles -ex: Mike Ghouse Sikhism
  10. Googling Mike Ghouse with any major religious festival, and you will find articles – ex: Mike Ghouse Easter
  11. There are over 4000 videos – all about building a cohesive America and bringing Americans Together

Thank you
Mike Ghouse