In a letter dated June 24, 2013 from the International Christian Organization of Media (ICOM) based in Geneva, Switzerland, it states: “Today we are happy to announce that you have won an Honorable Mention in the category of the International Award for Interreligious Dialogue. The jury took the decision considering the value and the relevance of theme you have submitted. We hope that your efforts and contributions through the more and more challenging world of journalism will help better the humanity worldwide and the environment.” The letter was signed by Jean-Marie Scheerlink of the ICOM directing committee.

The international award for inter-religious dialogue honors and recognizes the services and contributions of a media professional, institute, publisher or publication (including a book) in the field of peace and co-existence among members of various religions and cultures. The award brings to light initiatives of media professionals or their institutions for the peaceful, happy and harmonious co-existence of peoples belonging to all types of religions and opinions. The award encourages the use of media for inter-religious dialogue and harmony by media professionals.

The Focolare New City Magazine writes articles and issues from the perspective of universal fraternity. It is committed to interreligious, ecumenical and cultural dialogues. It features profiles and interviews with people who are making a difference in the field of arts, economics, science, education, medicine and cultural life. It promotes peaceful co-existence, and respect for differences in religious and cultural beliefs. It plays the role of a catalyst in pursuing a peaceful and harmonious society particularly in the Philippine and Asian context. For his entry submission, Aranas submitted two e-book magazines of New City: January 2013 issue with its theme on the fragile peace process in the Southern Philippines in Mindanao (to see articles you may visit: http://newcityph.com/archive/1301/issues.asp); and the June 2012 issue with its theme on dialogue: a call for an education towards a culture of dialogue, one that build bridges and promotes peace: http://newcityph.com/archive/1206/issues.asp

The triennial awards honor outstanding media professionals, publications and institutions worldwide, and recognize their exemplary contributions irrespective of all differences. The international awards enhance and make journalistic and media works more valuable in diverse fields, and acknowledge the efforts of all participating journalists and media professionals as well as their milieu. They help guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of the media at all levels in spite of all types of pressures especially from political, business and religious leaders and authorities. The awards are recognition for lifetime and reference for professionals to consult issues that concern nations, continents and our world. They reconfirm the competence and consolidate the authority of the winners on their domains and topics that are of major relevance and extreme importance in the world affairs.

There were more than 2,000 entries and candidatures worldwide that participated this time. But only 25 winners were chosen for the awards and honorable mentions in eight categories: The Titus Brandsma is won by Anto Akarra (India): the Cardinal Foley for David Lindo (Panama), and honorable mention for Fr François Lespes (France); Jose Rebelo (Portugal);Christopher Lamb (UK): Robert Duncan (USA); Photojournalism: Francis Wong (Hongkong); Interreligious Dialogue : Yassine Mohellebi (Algeria); honorable mention: Andrea Krogmann (Germany): Jose Aranas (Philippines); Women Issues : Roselyne Sachiti (Zimbabwe); honorable mention: Sanga Boureima (Burkina Faso): Aftab Alexander Mughal (Pakistan); Educommunication: Italian Association for Media Education (President: Gianna Cappello, Italy); honorable mention: Franco Montesino (Argentina); Josephat Kioko (Kenya) : Victor Khroul (Russia); Solidarity with refugees: Juan Carlos Giraldo (Colombia): honorable mention: Jean-Baptiste Sourou (Benin): Reji Joseph (India), and Excellence in Journalism: Anne Matho (Cameroun): ;Christian Locka (Cameroun): Damian Avevor (Ghana): Sally Mbilu (Kenya) and Benita Sambu.(Congo DR)

The awards will be conferred to the winners at the World Media Congress to be held, for the first time in Central America, in Panama City, Panama from 29 September to 6 October 2013.

To get to know the faces of the 2013 recipients of the awards you may visit this link in ICOM: http://www.icomworld.info/aw/2013/aa.htm

Romeo Pelayo Vital