Creation of two international awards announced in Tunisia
Tunis 7 November 2002
President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali announced today the creation of two major international awards to promote the values of global solidarity and tolerant Islam.
One of the two awards, “The President of the Republic of Tunisia's Award for World Solidarity”, will go to thinkers,
artists and intellectuals or to organizations and associations who devote themselves to the promotion “the culture of
understanding, cooperation and solidarity between peoples, and to firmly entrench and develop its values and
concepts”.
The award will further consecrate a commitment by President Ben Ali to the values of solidarity and mutual help as
an essential part of his domestic and foreign policies. The Tunisian leader is the author of an international initiative
for the creation of a “World Solidarity Fund” aimed at bridging the gap between the rich and poor across humanity.
The initiative was already endorsed by the U.N. general assembly and several international and regional organizations.
The other award announced today by the Tunisian leader is the "the President of the Republics international Award
for Islamic studies”. Its purpose will be to enrich the interpretative tradition of ijtihad, which “favors dialogue and
openness and rejects seclusion and fanaticism”.
Stressing Tunisia's continued commitment to “dialogue cultures and civilizations”, President Ben Ali said promoting
such tolerant interpretations of Islam has become all the more necessary considering the distortions which have
affected the image of Islam in the West since the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001.
The announcement of the two awards was made by President Ben Ali in a speech marking the 15th anniversary of his
accession to the highest executive office.
Full text of speechPresentation I UN Resolution I Support to the initiative I Tunisia's experience I Forum I News briefs I Links I Home
