Dubai starts world peace award

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Dubai, United Arab Emirates, says it is launching a world peace award aimed toward recognizing people and institutions working to achieve peace worldwide.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum World Peace Award was instituted Wednesday by a decree from United Arab Emirates Vice President and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Gulf News reported.

The award was established "to recognize outstanding contributions in world peace issues, which is a way to activate civilized interaction among people, preserving peace and stability and developing them in the world and encouraging spirited initiatives and excellence in preserving world peace. The award also aims to encourage communication among different religions and bringing forth the true image of Islam, which is a religion of forgiveness and peace," the decree states.

The value and nomination process of the award will be announced soon, said Dr. Hamad al Shaikh Ahmad al Shaibani, chairman of the 12-member board of trustees of the award, Gulf News reported.

Sultan Butti Bin Mejren, deputy chairman of the board of the award, said the history of the United Arab Emirates as a peace-loving country and Islamic peace values will contribute to the credibility of the award.

"The award will be another success story to be written by Dubai for the sake of humanity and for reinforcing peace in the world," he said.