Today, the Secretary of State has awarded the Department’s International Religious Freedom Award to the following individuals in recognition of their courage and commitment to promoting and defending religious freedom globally: Farid Ahmed, Kola Alapinni, Mirza Dinnayi, Peter Jacob, Martha Patricia Molina Montenegro, Tali Nates, Lhadon Tethong, and a group of nine Orthodox clergy from Lithuania represented by Gintaras Sungaila. These advocates have focused on promoting human rights and mutual respect for all in countries including Nigeria, Iraq, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, and Nicaragua, as well as protecting the rights of Orthodox Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and members of other religious communities around the world.
These awards are part of the Department’s events commemorating 25 years of the International Religious Freedom Act, which was signed by President Clinton on October 27, 1998. For more information about this year’s awardees, please visit the website of the Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom.
Official news published at https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-states-international-religious-freedom-awards/
