On 1st of November, 2007, the International Council of Christians and Jews awarded Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp with the prestigious Interfaith Gold Medallion “Peace Trough Dialogue”. The award was presented to him by the Dutch Minister of Justice, Dr. Ernst Hirsch Ballin. Around 50 national and international guests attended the ceremony in the historic synagogue of Soetendorp’s liberal Jewish congregation in The Hague.

With the award, the ICCJ honours Soetendorp’s long standing commitment to promoting a culture of peace and tolerance among people of different faiths. The jury’s official award announcement states: “In recognition of his long standing commitment, born from the experience of personal history, to give reality to what he once termed genuine dialogue as the better means fo communicating rather than just speaking at conferences. This award particularly recognizes that he carried on the work of his father in rebuilding Dutch Jewry after the Shoa, at the same time realizing the need for genuine Dialogue between Jews and Christians. This led him to be among the first to seek dialogue with Muslims and peoples of other faiths. The award is also given in recognition of his early promotion of understanding, through the Earth Charter, that our traditions enjoin us to give credence to our obligation to care for the health of our world so that people of all faiths and cultures can live in peace and prosperity.”

Watch the Award Ceremony on Video: