![]() |
Founded by Rabbi Arthur Schneier in 1965, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation is an interfaith partnership of corporate and spiritual leaders from all faiths who come together to promote "peace, tolerance and ethnic conflict resolution."
The Appeal's philosophy is that freedom, democracy and human rights are basic principles, [1] and if they are granted, nations of the world have their best hope for “peace, security and shared prosperity.”
"A crime committed in the name of religion is the greatest crime against religion,” is the organization's mantra. Following the act of September 11th, the ACF has rallied religious leaders worldwide to take a stand against terrorism and to use their influence to halt violence and promote tolerance.
The true motivation of the Appeal has been called into question following the honoring of Indonesian president Yudhoyono despite controversy within Indonesia and the ongoing genocide Yudhoyono's government is overseeing in West Papua. [2]
Delegations from the group meet and have met with religious and government leaders throughout the world promoting peace and democracy. Some of its work has been in conducted in Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Bulgaria, People's Republic of China, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Cuba, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Germany, the Vatican City, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, Panama, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the former Yugoslavia.
The Foundation frequently hosts diplomatic and clerical groups from abroad to acquaint them with the religious life in America society. [3]
The 2022 recipient was Italy's Prime Minister, Mario Draghi. [4]
The 2021 recipient was Former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. [5]
The 2019 recipient was Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong. [6]
The 2016 recipient was French President, François Hollande.
The 2015 recipient was British Prime Minister, David Cameron.
The 2014 recipient was Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto.
The 2013 recipient was Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. [7]
The 2012 recipient was Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper.
Complete List:
Sep 20, 2011 Address by President Lee Myung-bak President Lee Myung-bak of The Republic of Korea, recipient of the 2009 World Statesman Award.
May 12, 2011 Address by Francois Delattre of France On behalf of President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Ambassador Francois Delattre presented Rabbi Arthur Schneier with the Legion of Honor in recognition of his tireless efforts to promote and support religious freedom, human rights and interfaith tolerance all over the world
Sep 23, 2010 Address by Bill Burns, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs in absence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, recipient of the 2010 World Statesman Award. [8]
Sep 22, 2009 Address by Ivan Lewis on behalf of PM Gordon Brown The Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom received the 2009 World Statesman Award
Sep 22, 2009 Address by Muhtar Kent Muhtar Kent, Chairman & CEO, The Coca-Cola Company received the 2009 Appeal of Conscience Award
Sep 22, 2009 Address by Bernard J. Arnault Bernard J. Arnault, Chairman & CEO, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton received the 2009 Appeal of Conscience Award
Sep 23, 2008 Address by Jeffrey R. Immelt, President & CEO, GE Jeffrey Immelt received the 2008 Appeal of Conscience Award
Sep 23, 2008 Address by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Mayor Bloomberg delivers speech accepting the 2008 Appeal of Conscience Foundation Public Service Award
Sep 23, 2008 Remarks by Deputy Secretary John D. Negroponte Deputy Secretary highlights honorees at the 2008 ACF Annual Awards Dinner
Sep 23, 2008 Address by Nicolas Sarkozy President of the French Republic is recipient of the 2008 Appeal of Conscience World Statesman Award
Sep 23, 2008 Address by Henry A. Kissinger Henry Kissinger gives address on behalf of Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, at the ACF 2008 Annual Awards Dinner
Sep 21, 2005 Foreign Minister Alexander Downer Acceptance of the World Statesman Award on behalf of the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, at the 40th anniversary dinner of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation
Sep 21, 2005 Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO, Nokia Acceptance of the Appeal of Conscience Award Jorma Ollila, Chairman and CEO, Nokia Appeal of Conscience Foundation 40th Annual Awards Dinner New York September 21, 2005
Sep 21, 2005 Peter G. Peterson, Chairman, Blackstone Group Honorable Peter G. Peterson, Chairman, Council on Foreign Relations, at the Appeal of Conscience Foundation 40th Anniversary Dinner September 21, 2005
Sep 20, 2004 Sir John Bond, HSBC Chairman, 2004 Dinner Sir John Bond, HSBC Chairman, APPEAL OF CONSCIENCE FOUNDATION DINNER
Oct 14, 2003 Address by José Mará Aznar President of the Government of Spain, recipient of the 2003 Appeal of Conscience World Statesman Award
Oct 14, 2003 Address by Dr. Josef Ackermann Chairman Group Executive Committee and Spokesman of the Board of Managing Directors, Deutsche Bank Recipient of the 2003 Appeal of Conscience Award
Oct 01, 2002 Address by Rabbi Arthur Schneier Appeal of Conscience Annual Awards Dinner Honoring Jean Chrétien and Carleton S. Fiorina
Oct 01, 2002 Address by Carly Fiorina Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Company - receipt of the Appeal of Conscience Award Appeal of Conscience Foundation Annual Awards Dinner
Oct 01, 2002 Address by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien 2002 Appeal of Conscience Annual Award Dinner
The 2013 'World Statesman of the Year' was highly controversial since Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has failed to protect religious minorities in the world's largest Muslim-majority country, [9] and overseen what has been determined to be a genocide in West Papua [10] Instead of promoting tolerance, President Yudhoyono has overseen a sharp increase in acts of intolerance to Ahmadiyah Muslims, Shi'ite Muslims, and Christians, leading to widespread public criticism from human rights activists, [11] academics, [12] and persecuted minority groups.
Petitions to Rabbi Schneier to withdraw the award garnered over 10,000 signatures from around the globe. Instead of heeding the concerns of persecuted minorities, Rabbi Schneier granted the award and helped President Yudhoyono to, "whitewash his legacy." Human rights activists eventually concluded that the Appeal of Conscience Foundation was little more than a vehicle for publicity-seeking and influence-peddling. [13]
The United Nations Prizes in the Field of Human Rights were instituted by United Nations General Assembly in 1966. They are intended to "honour and commend people and organizations which have made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other United Nations human rights instruments".
The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a Jewish human rights organization established in 1977 by Rabbi Marvin Hier. The center is known for Holocaust research and remembrance, hunting Nazi war criminals, combating anti-Semitism, tolerance education, defending Israel, and its Museum of Tolerance.
Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is distinct from syncretism or alternative religion, in that dialogue often involves promoting understanding between different religions or beliefs to increase acceptance of others, rather than to synthesize new beliefs.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, commonly referred to by his initials SBY, is an Indonesian politician and retired army general who served as the sixth president of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014. A member of the Democratic Party of Indonesia, he served as the 4th leader of the Democratic Party from 2014 until 2020, 8th and 10th coordinating minister of politics and security affairs of Indonesia from 2000 until 2001, and again from 2001 until 2004. He also served as the president of the Assembly and chair of the Council of the Global Green Growth Institute. He was also the former chairman of ASEAN due to Indonesia's hosting of the 18th and 19th ASEAN Summits.
Michael Melchior is a Jewish leader, Orthodox rabbi, thinker, and activist. He is a former Minister of Social and Diaspora Affairs, a former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a former member of Knesset for Meimad. He is the Rabbi of a community in Talpiyot, Jerusalem, while still holding the title of the Chief Rabbi of Norway.
Muhammad Jusuf Kalla is an Indonesian politician and businessman who served as the 10th and 12th vice president of Indonesia, the only vice president in Indonesian history to serve two non-consecutive terms in office. He was unsuccessful as Golkar's presidential nominee in the 2009 presidential election. Before Kalla declared himself as the running mate for Joko Widodo in the 2014 presidential election, a 2012 poll placed his popularity among likely voters in the top three contenders for the presidency and ahead of his own party's nominee Aburizal Bakrie.
Humanists International is an international non-governmental organisation championing secularism and human rights, motivated by secular humanist values. Founded in Amsterdam in 1952, it is an umbrella organisation made up of more than 160 secular humanist, atheist, rationalist, agnostic, skeptic, freethought and Ethical Culture organisations from over 80 countries.
Federico Mayor Zaragoza is a scientist, scholar, politician, diplomat, and poet from Spain. He served as the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) from 1987 to 1999. After his tenure as Director-General, he continued to participate in various peace-related organizations such as the Foundation for a Culture of Peace and the International Decade for the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, as a member of their honorary boards. Additionally, he serves as the honorary chairman of the Académie de la Paix.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is an initiative that attempts to "galvanize international action against extremism" through the forging of international, intercultural and interreligious dialogue and cooperation. The Alliance places a particular emphasis on defusing tensions between the Western and Islamic worlds.
Arthur Schneier is an Austrian-American rabbi and human rights activist. Rabbi Schneier has served for over 50 years as the Senior Rabbi of New York City’s Park East Synagogue. While being honored with the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Bill Clinton in 2001, Rabbi Schneier was described as “a Holocaust survivor who has devoted a lifetime to overcoming forces of hatred and intolerance and set an inspiring example of spiritual leadership by encouraging interfaith dialog and intercultural understanding, as well as promoting the cause of religious freedom around the world.” Schneier is among the oldest pulpit rabbis in the United States.
The InterAction Council is an independent non-profit organization that brings together former world leaders to mobilize their energy, experience and international contacts in an effort to develop recommendations and foster co-operation and positive action around the world.
The Alexandria Process is a process of active dialogue between religious leaders in the Holy Land to build understanding and work towards peace.
The European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation is a non-governmental organization that was established in Paris, France on 7 October 2008 to monitor tolerance in Europe. The Chairman of the council is former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and the President of the council is Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor. Sebastian Kurz, former chancellor of Austria, joined the Council as a Co-Chairman in January 2022.
The Bali Peace Park Project is a memorial project founded in 2003, on the first anniversary of the first Bali bombing.
Ishar Bindra (1921-2015) was a Sikh American investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was also the founder-trustee of the Sikh Forum of New York, senior vice president of the Hemkunt Foundation, and patron of the Sikh Art and Film Foundation.
The World Political Forum is a non-profit foundation, based in Turkey, best known for its annual meeting in Istanbul. The forum takes place with the participation of statesmen, CEOs, opinion leaders, bureaucrats and the business elite as well as renowned figures from reputable universities.
Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Issa is a Saudi Arabian politician, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, President of the International Islamic Halal Organization, and former Saudi Minister of Justice.
Imam Shamsi Ali is a prominent Indonesian Muslim Scholar known for promoting interfaith dialogues among Abrahamic Religions in United States and the Chairman of the Al-Hikmah Mosque and the Director of Jamaica Muslim Center in Jamaica, Queens, New York City.
The Wahid Institute is a Research Center on Islam, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was founded in 2004 by the former President of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid and is led by his daughter Yenny Zannuba Wahid.
Lukman Hakim Saifuddin is an Indonesian politician and Muslim scholar who was the Minister of Religious Affairs in the Second United Indonesia Cabinet of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Working Cabinet of President Joko Widodo.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)