Friends of Rwanda Association (FORA) a US based non-profit people-to-people programme that supports Rwandan orphans, has scooped the Global Peacemaker Award for 2010 by the Global Majority. The award acknowledges the significant and sustained contributions by an individual or organisation to the cause of the global peace. The formal function to present the award is due to take place in California, United States in November this year.According to Nicholas Tomb who chairs the board of Global Majority, this award recognises outstanding efforts and contributions that have resulted in the abatement or resolution of violence on a global level. “We appreciate the work that FORA has done for the orphans, schools, and advancement of education for girls in Rwanda after the genocide with very limited resources,” he said in a statement. Mathilde Mukantabana, the president of FORA said that it was an honour and privilege for her association to accept the Global award, saying that this would propel them into doing even more. “Our members were elated by the faith you placed in our association, and we intend to keep striving for the promotion of peaceful resolutions,” she said “On behalf of our association, I thank you for your efforts at promoting global peace and dialogue”. Other recipients of this year’s peace award are George Clooney, an American movie icon and Chris Deevers Salinas Community School from USA, which was awarded with Local Peacemaker award. Meanwhile, Reynaldo Escoto, which is based in Mexico scooped Young Peacemaker award. FORA was founded in 1995 after the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsis and it has helped many education projects for children orphaned by the genocide. FORA’s funded projects are implemented through ASOGM (Association pour le Soutien des Orphelins du Genocide au Mayaga) a sister organization based in the Mayaga region in Nyamure, Nyanza District in the Southern Province. Ends
