12 Apr 2018 – 8:04
By Fazeena Saleem / The Peninsula
DOHA: Finalists of a new initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), the ‘Akhlaquna Award’, aimed at recognising young people with exemplary moral character will be announced soon.
A judging panel has reviewed all nominations and shortlisted 10 applications to be evaluated by a three-member jury. The finalists will be shortlisted for public voting through an online platform. The winner of the inaugural Akhlaquna Award will receive mentorship for their initiatives, with the winner to be announced during Convocation 2018, set to take place on May 1.
H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of QF announced the initiative, during the 2017 edition of QF Convocation.
The Akhlaquna Award is designed to recognize and celebrate young people who display exemplary moral character toward the good of humanity. The jurors have been tasked with the responsibility of identifying individuals or groups who personalize universal values – such as mercy, tolerance, honesty, and generosity.
“We consider all applicants as winners, as they have demonstrated so much through their work. However, we will choose the best three projects and send for voting. While, in choosing the finalists we have looked into the projects which best embody mercy, tolerance, honesty, and generosity – the four morals of the Akhlaquna initiative,” said Amal Al Mannai, a jury member and speaking to the media yesterday.
“During the selection process we also focused on the outreach, creativity, impact and sustainability of the project,” said Al Mannai, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work.
QF accepted nominations for the 2018 Akhlaquna Award through its dedicated website www.akhlaquna.qa and members of the public were invited to nominate individuals between the ages of 15–35, or initiatives which they believe are eligible for the award. Also self nominations/applications were also accepted. The organizers have received More than 300 nominations 133 applications and ten among them were shortlisted.
Speaking about the importance of the award, Dr Emad El-Din Shahin, a jury member and Dean of College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, said: “The candidates for Akhlaquna Award are individuals who have developed projects and initiatives that strive to serve the community.
“The award celebrate these individuals, who personalise the values that distinguish the Prophet (PBUH), and to provide them with the support and guidance they need in order to build a better society.”
“In the coming years we will see how the award will benefit the society. It could make a cultural change and behavior change on how the society sees about serving and being kind towards others,” he added.
Nominees for the Akhlaquna Award were Qatari nationals or residents in Qatar and include local or international initiatives which do not need to be based in the country.
“We have applications from individuals and groups, all of them uplifting kindness serve others in the do something for the community and humanity in general. This was about Qataris or about helping people in Qatar but they can be serving anyone. Its combining everyone, Qataris and residents working for the humankind,” said Dr Jassim Al Sultan, a jury member and Director General at the Wijdan Cultural Centre, part of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
