Excellencies, Members of the Jury and friends,
The Indira Gandhi Prize, established in 1985, is a prestigious award that recognizes creative initiatives for promoting international peace, development, and global cooperation.
It is perhaps no coincidence that both the personalities identified by the Jury for today’s Award associate with Palestine, a strife-torn land whose principal victims are the youth and where – much to human sanity’s regret – Jabotinsky’s 1923 prediction about the eventual success of Zionism being achieved through a ‘new race of proud and cruel’ people and its Jewish bayonets is sought to be realised.
Today we honour the awardees who embody the spirit of Indira Gandhi’s vision for a more harmonious and peaceful world. The tireless endeavour of Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu Awwad to bring together the youth and peoples of Israel and the Arab world through music and dialogue have not gone unnoticed and will inspire future generations.
Daniel Barenboim, a renowned musician and conductor, has used the universal language of music to bridge cultural and political divides. His initiatives, such as the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, have brought together young musicians from Israel, Palestine and Arab countries to promote mutual understanding and cooperation.
Ali Abu Awwad, a Palestinian peace activist, and founder of the Palestinian peace movement Taghyyur has worked tirelessly to promote non-violent resistance and dialogue. His efforts have inspired numerous individuals to seek reconciliation and peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and signify the power of resilience and hope. The support of student communities that world over – with a few inexplicable and undesirable exceptions – is indicative of the role that the youth attach to their role in these activities.
As we honour Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu Awwad, we also acknowledge the countless individuals and organisations working tirelessly to promote peace, disarmament, and development around the world. Their efforts inspire us to strive for a better future, where differences are celebrated, and our shared humanity is the foundation for a more peaceful and harmonious world.
Today’s joint award is a testament to the power of collaboration and the human spirit’s capacity for resilience and hope. As we gather here today, we recognize that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a state of being that requires constant nurturing and effort.
In the words of Indira Gandhi, “Born of the universe, we cannot narrow our loyalties. Belonging to humankind, nothing human can be alien to us” Today’s awardees have demonstrated that even in the face of adversity, we can choose to expand our loyalties, to embrace our shared humanity, and to work toward a common goal of peace and understanding.