Islamic scholars at the University of Münster receive awards

"Toleranzring" for Prof. Mouhanad Khorchide
With the “Toleranzring”, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts honours personalities who are committed to cross-border dialogue and against racism. Mouhanad Khorchide has been teaching and researching as a professor of Islamic religious education at the University of Münster since 2010 – he also heads the "Centre for Islamic Thoelogy" at the University of Münster. "Mouhanad Khorchides' special concern is to raise an independent voice in religious dialogue and in the everyday life of religious policy. He wants to contribute to a non-violent understanding of his religion in the political environment – a religion that he understands as one of peaceful coexistence while respecting the views and rights of the individual and the religious freedom of those who think differently," said Prof. Stefan Zimmermann, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, in his laudation.

The other laureates of this year's Tolerance Rings are the cultural scientists Prof. Dr. Jan Assmann and Prof. Dr. Aleida Assmann as well as the journalist Richard Chaim Schneider. In addition, the University of Cologne and the Academy awarded the Prize for Tolerance to three Cologne schools.

The European Academy of Sciences and Arts has been awarding the Tolerance Rings annually since 1997. In the past they went to Cardinal Karl Lehmann, the former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher and the conductor Daniel Barenboim.

"Deutscher Dialogpreis" for Prof. Ahmad Milad Karimi

The "Deutscher Dialogpreis" is awarded by the Association of German Dialogue Institutions (BDDI) to individuals and institutions that contribute to the dialogue of cultures and religions. Ahmad Milad Karimi has held the professorship for Kalām, Islamic philosophy and mysticism at the University of Münster since 2016 – he is also deputy director of the "Centre for Islamic Thoelogy" at the University of Münster. "Milad Karimi is a much asked for and tirelessly active mediator of contemporary Islamic discourses not only to scientific specialists, but to a general audience, bitterly necessary in a country like ours, in which the image of 'Islam' is reduced to clichés filled with fear and aggression," emphasized the Catholic theologian Prof. Dr. Karl-Josef Kuschel from Tübingen in his tribute. "He fights with wit, charm and good arguments for a differentiated picture of the Islamic faith."

The other prize winners are Prof. Dr. Barbara John, Chairwoman of the Paritätischen Wohlfahrtsverband Berlin, journalist and writer Dr. Jochen Thies and the Catholic theologian Prof. Dr. Joachim Valentin.

Since 2013, the Federation of German Dialogue Institutions has been awarding the German Dialogue Prize in the categories Interreligious Dialogue, Science and Education, Literature and Life's Work. The Association of German Dialogue Institutions was founded in 2013 by 15 institutions such as the "Forum Dialog" and the "Intercultural Dialogue Centre", whose work is dedicated to dialogue between society as a whole.

Further information

• Prof. Mouhanad Khorchide (only in German)
• European Academy of Sciences and Arts
• Prof. Ahmad Milad Karimi (only in German)
• Deutscher Dialogpreis (only in German)