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Indian-American Frank Islam receives Martin Luther award
Washington, Jan 19 (IANS) An eminent Indian-American
entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Islam has been presented with the
prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Award in recognition of his
contribution to the legacy of the great leader through his efforts in
international service and civil engagement.
The award, which carries the name of Martin Luther King Jr., an apostle of peace, is about building bridges between humanity.
The
award was presented to Islam by Harry Johnson, president of the
Memorial Foundation Inc. and one of the honorary vice chairs of the
event, which was held at Willard Intercontinental, the American Bazaar
reported Monday.
"I feel doubly blessed to be given this honor
because of the indelible connection between King and that other famous
civil and human rights leader from my homeland of India, Mahatma
Gandhi," said Islam, who came to the US as a student in the 1970s.
He added that both King and Gandhi "have been beacons to me in my personal life, and charitable and philanthropic involvement".
Islam also said that the award was especially important to him because of its emphasis on "peace and non-violence".
"More
lives have been lost in the past 100 years than at any given point in
time. Whether it is in the name of religion, nationalism or any other
extremist ideology, thousands are being killed every year," he said.
Last year, President Obama appointed him to the board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center.
He also serves on the International Advisory Committee of the US Institute of Peace.