Children of Abraham Awards Ceremonies
Children of Abraham Awards Ceremonies
The Children of Abraham Awards Ceremonies are possible through the generous collaboration of Campus Ministry at Georgetown University. The ceremonies honor the efforts of the young people who have chosen to participate in the Youth Leadership Grants program. We also honor the teachers, mentors, and examples who have provided invaluable guidance to those young people and countless others through the Teacher’s Award for Peace Advocacy and other awards. See our FFC Awards page for more details.
The goal of the Awards Ceremonies is to provide young leaders with energy, hope, and inspiration as they move forward to implement their grant projects, and as they move toward being future leaders in society.
On this page you can see summaries and videos from past awards ceremonies. Past keynote speakers include:
7th Annual Children of Abraham Awards Ceremony
The 2011-2012 grant program topic was “Present at the Beginning: Celebrating Three Women and Three Faiths”. Applicants wrote an essay and proposed a project based on the lives and leadership of Yocheved, Mary and Khadija.
On April 15, 2012, the grant recipients were honored at the 7th Annual Children of Abraham Award Ceremony at the Riggs Library at Georgetown University. Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, delivered the keynote address. Mrs. Edelman also presented FFC’s inaugural Faith in Action Award to Mary Campbell Cosby, co-founder of the social justice project-based Church of the Saviour, active in DC since the late 1940s.
Download the 2012 Awards Ceremony PowerPoint presentation
See photos from the 2012 Awards Ceremony
6th Annual Children of Abraham Awards Ceremony
The 2010-2011 program year was launched on November 1, 2010 with our first ever online kick-off. In video messages, distinguished speakers introduced the topic of “Welcoming the Stranger” through the eyes of the three Abrahamic faiths, as well as various aspects of project design and implementation.
On May 1, 2011, the grant recipients were honored at the Children of Abraham Awards Ceremony at the Riggs Library at Georgetown University.
Arsalan Iftikhar delivered the keynote address and the grant recipients spoke about not only their projects, but also reflected on their study of the Abrahamic faiths and how each religion “welcomes the stranger.”
Also during the Award Ceremony, matching grants of $1,000 to select 2009 – 2010 grant recipients were awarded to Fahad Ahsan, Victor Crentsil, Veronica Ferris, and Rishabh Khatri. These students were eligible for the matching grants because they raised a minimum of an additional $1,000 in support of their projects.
See photos from the 2011 Awards Ceremony
Download the 2011 Awards Ceremony PowerPoint presentation
5th Annual Children of Abraham Awards Ceremony
The 2009-2010 program was launched on November 8, 2009, at a Kick-Off Event held at Georgetown University. The theme was “Compassion in Action as exemplified by the leaders of the three Abrahamic faiths.” Scholars and clergy addressed the topic and answered students’ questions during the kick-off.
On March 28, 2010, participating essayists were honored at the Children of Abraham Award Ceremony at the Riggs Library at Georgetown University.
Farah Anwar Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities, delivered the keynote address. Before cash and other awards were presented, essayists spoke of ways they’ve grown as a result of their participation in the contest.
Also during the Award Ceremony, Youth Leadership Micro-Grants of $1,000, with another $1,000 pledged as a matching grant, were awarded to Fahad Ahsan, Victor Crentsil, Veronica Ferris, Rishabh Khatri, Danny Roza, Sarah Schwartz, Shayna Solomon and Ezra Wexler.
See photos from the Awards Ceremony
Download the Awards Ceremony PowerPoint presentation
4th Annual Children of Abraham Awards Ceremony
The contest was launched on November 16, 2008, at a Kick-Off Event held at Georgetown University. The theme for the year was “The Environmental role of peace within the three faiths”.
On May 3, 2009, participating essayists were honored at the Children of Abraham Award Ceremony at the Riggs Library at Georgetown University.
Roberta Baskin (right), award-winning Investigative Reporter, delivered the keynote address, highlighting lessons learned in the course of her long career fighting injustice and corruption. Before awards and Youth Leadership Grants were presented, essayists spoke of ways they had grown as a result of their participation in the contest.
David Weeks of Glenelg Country School in Howard County, Maryland, was presented the Third Annual Teacher’s Award for Peace Advocacy. A candlelight ceremony and reception followed.
See photos from the Awards Ceremony
Download the Awards Ceremony program
3rd Annual Children of Abraham Awards Ceremony
The contest was launched on October 28th at a Kick-Off Event held in the Intercultural Center Auditorium at Georgetown University. The theme for this year was “Abrahamic Lessons in Overcoming Corruption”.
On April 27, 2008, participating essayists were honored at the Children of Abraham Award Ceremony at the Gonda Theatre in the Davis Performing Arts Center at Georgetown University. Roberta Baskin (right), Director of the Investigative Team for ABC7/WJLA-TV, delivered the keynote address, highlighting lessons learned in the course of her long career fighting injustice and corruption. Before cash and other awards were presented, essayists spoke of ways they’ve grown as a result of their participation in the contest.
Youth Leadership Micro-Grants of $1,000, with another $1,000 pledged as a matching grant, were awarded to Devika Jaipuriar for the development of an environmental awareness project entitled “Earth Girl,” and Jonathan Kesten in support of his work with School Girls United to provide educational opportunities for girls in Mali.
Also at the award ceremony, June Murray-Crawford of Hudson High School in Hudson, Massachusetts, was presented the Second Annual Teacher’s Award for Peace Advocacy. A candlelight ceremony and reception followed.
See photos from the Awards Ceremony
Download the Awards Ceremony PowerPoint presentation
2nd Annual Children of Abraham Awards Ceremony
The theme of the 2006-2007 Children of Abraham Peace Essay Contest was “A New Leadership Model Inspired by Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad.” In addition to presentations by scholars and clergy, winners of the 2005-2006 essay contest engaged in a panel discussion.
Essays were submitted by students from many ethnic groups, religions, and cultural backgrounds. Awardees were honored at the April award ceremony held at Georgetown University, at which essayists had an opportunity to address the gathering and present a summary of their work. Also, the first Teacher’s Award for Peace Advocacy was presented to Lansing Freeman of Montgomery Blair High School, who had mentored many of the contest winners. Several of the winners of the previous year’s contest were on hand to present a moving testimony to the ways in which their participation in the essay contest had influenced their lives. A reception followed.
See photos from the Awards Ceremony
Download the Awards Ceremony PowerPoint presentation
1st Children of Abraham Peace Essay Contest
For the first Children of Abraham Peace Essay contest, held in 2005-2006, students submitted essays in which they: described teachings and practices concerning peace in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; recounted an incident from their own lives that illustrated misunderstanding or intolerance; developed a plan for a project that might be carried out in their community to create interfaith understanding.
Based on the evaluation of a panel of judges, seven students were named to receive awards: Eliza Adelson, Dana Alsaadi, Zachary Eaton, Avi Edelman, Uneeb Quereshi, and Mindy Zhang. Distinguished journalist Cokie Roberts (right) presented these awards to the students during a candlelight ceremony at the “Peace Out Celebration” held at Georgetown University on March 26, 2006.
The contest generated much enthusiasm among the student participants. “The Children of Abraham Peace Essay Contest was a thoroughly enriching experience that taught me so much about other cultures, about peace, and about myself.” – Avi Edelman (first prize winner)