The king of Jordan Abdullah and Queen Rania received Thursday the 2022 Path to Peace Prize of the Vatican’s Path to Peace Foundation for their promotion of interfaith harmony and dialogue, Arab News reports.
Vatican Ambassador to the UN Archbishop Gabriele Caccia presented the prize to the royal couple at the foundation’s 29th annual gala in New York.
The Vatican official lauded the couple for their “years-long effort” in promoting peace and interfaith cooperation in the Middle East.
Caccia spoke highly about Queen Rania for her work focused on education and the prioritization of young people. “She has long shown concern for the questions of education, connectivity, and cross-cultural dialogue, as well as sustainability, the environment, and migration, which places young people at the heart of solutions and is imbued with a sense of hope,” he added.
King Abdullah, on accepting the award, also called on the need to make Jerusalem the home of peace and coexistence, not for fear and violence.
“Our journey to peace must travel through Jerusalem,” he said, describing the city as “key to the future and stability that we all seek.” “The (world’s most difficult challenges) will be met by drawing on our faith in God, our common humanity, and our will to jointly defeat poverty and despair, and end occupation and injustice.
“(Also), to help refugees everywhere return home, ready to rebuild shattered communities, and renew the hope that young people everywhere so desperately need.”
Vatican awards Jordanian royal couple with 2022 Path to Peace Prize
