The SPIRITUAL SOLIDARITY AWARD is a yearly award offered by ADYAN foundation. Through it, ADYAN encourages and honors people who work and devote their life to develop and strengthen various forms of solidarity and unity between people from different religions, especially in contexts of tension and violence.
On December 5, 2008, ADYAN presented its Annual Spiritual Solidarity to Shaykh Mohamed Nokkari, as a token of appreciation for all the work done by Shaykh Nokkari in the field of Muslim-Christian dialogue, and especially around the figure of Mary.
Shaykh Nokkari, professor of Muslim studies and Law, Judge and formerly general director of Dar al Fatwa in Lebanon, has worked ceaselessly during the past years to promote the idea of the possibility of considering the Annunciation (March 25th) a day for Muslim-Christian encounter around the figure of Mary and what she represents, as well as a Lebanese national common Muslim-Christian "holy-day".
From Shaykh Nokkari's speech:
"I thank ADYAN foundation for this honor that they wish to convey, through me, to all those who love Mary; Mary that symbolizes love, faithfulness and the message of peace, Mary the one that gives and embraces us all, sons and daughters of Lebanon, and that embraces, through us, every Muslim and Christian, from every village or city of this world, in humble prayer in his church or in the mihrab of his mosque - the mihrab of Mary- praying for the One God that we all worship".
