Doha, Qatar – Teach Peace Build Peace Movement (TPBPM) creator Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman was awarded by a Qatar-based group. She obtained the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogues Best Individual Award during its 11th incarnation held last month. The Qatar-based groups’ advocacy pursues to promote religious tolerance and interfaith understanding.
She became the very 1st Filipino Maranao Muslim Princess to receive the award.
DCID committee chose Usman out of 130 nominees, together with University of Craiova Biblical Studies Professor Dr. Valentin Vladimirescu, as reported by the Qatar Tribune.
According to Usman “This recognition is not for what I did but for the reasons behind it. I want to teach peace to build a culture of peace so that our children and youth will be able to live in a just and peaceful society.”
“I strongly believe that peace-building does not end in peace process, it is not just about the absence of war, but peace is a way of life with a whole dimension on developing education, giving importance to values formation, interfaith and intercultural dialogues and immersions, health access and socio- economic development,” she added.
Her experience in Saudi Arabia where she grew up during the Gulf War when she was still a young girl, motivated Usman to advocate for peace and the involvement of the young generation in the peace process between Bangsamoro and Christians, and calls herself “Warrior Princess for Peace”.
Usman said, that the youth should be involved in the peace process, because according to her the body that upholds the law would be influenced by their actions and thus work for the betterment and peace of the new Bangsamoro, this was according to an article by the Manila Speak.
