Chiara Lubich, using the most powerful human force of love and a strong faith in the unity of all humankind as espoused in the teachings of Jesus Christ, you have been chosen to play a tireless role in sowing the seeds of peace and love among all peoples. Starting during the dark days of the Second World War in Italy and thereafter all over the world, in the last six decades you have worked ceaselessly to help people discover love for and understanding of each other. This has allowed you to continuously strengthen the fragile framework of peace on which much of world’s prosperity, health, culture and spirituality is developing. In particular, you have built the lay Christian Movement of Focolare serving the people of the world through prayer and action and in promoting better dialogue, tolerance and purposeful cooperation among people of various religions. Importantly the empathy that you and the Focolare movement enjoy with young people and the deep understanding of evolving changes in this world displayed by yourself have ensured that the message of Jesus Christ stays relevant, fresh and healing in solving contemporary issues. In honour of your achievements, the peace loving people from the ancient country of India and in particular the Sarvodaya Movement and Shanti Ashram, present you with the eighth Defender of peace Award on the fifth day of January, two thousand and one. Shanti Ashram                                            Sarvodaya Movement Minoti Aram, President                                Dr. N. Markandan, President