MPAC Honors Dr. Mohamed
Elbaradei
Flushing,
NY: The Muslim Public Affairs Council honored Dr. Mohamed
ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and 2005 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, with MPAC
Foundation's first Human Security Award on Friday, October
27.
In a riveting evening filled with hope, pride and reflection,
Dr. Faroque Khan, head of the Islamic Center of Long Island,
delivered a warm welcome on behalf of the tri-state Muslim
American community. MPAC Communications Director Edina Lekovic
followed by encouraging attendees to reflect on the implication
of such an award delivered during a critical juncture in human
history.
"We are honored that the inaugural recipient of this
important recognition is a man of both great vision and great
international attention for his unrelenting efforts as a steward
of the IAEA, which works to make the world safer by advocating
for nuclear disarmament" said Lekovic, who served as
the evening's Mistress of Ceremonies. "His insistence
on due diligence, diplomacy and multilateralism as tools in
furthering this mission has elevated the level of global discourse
on the issue."
Dr. ElBaradei served as a senior member of the IAEA (1984
1993), the Agency's Assistant Director for External Relations
(1993-1997), and as the Director General of the (IAEA) since
1997 where he works to promote arms control and encouraged
the peaceful use of nuclear energy around the globe.
"In a world of nuclear haves and have-nots, there is
a noticeable absence in the international discourse on security
- and that is justic,e" said MPAC Executive Director
Salam Al-Marayati in his remarks. "Dr. ElBaradei is promoting
justice by advocating for complete nuclear disarmament by
those who possess it and a commitment to non-proliferation
by those who seek it. As members of humanity, we cannot prevent
a nuclear holocaust if non-proliferation is expected or demanded
of just one or two nations."
Following a touching video compilation of the extraordinary
work Dr. ElBaradei has doone, Dr. ElBaradei reflected on the
deeper concerns underlying the award while reminding the attendees,
"When you really think about human security, you cannot
help but get emotional. Our priorities are still very much
skewed priorities. Forty percent of our fellow humans live
on less than two dollars a day." He emphasized that the
economic realities of the global South have served as a catalyst
for much of the extremism and violence that fester among and
against disaffected populations in the region.
In a recent address to the United Nations Sixty-First General
Assembly, ElBaradei highlighted several factors shaping the
role of nuclear power in the past five decades, including
growing energy needs, economic performance, the availability
of other energy sources, the quest for energy independence,
environmental factors, nuclear safety and proliferation concerns,
and advances in nuclear technology.
Of these important factors, ElBaradei refocused Friday evenings
attendees on the critical balance nuclear power usage must
strike with preserving human security. "If we can change
human destiny, we need to focus on the human security of the
individual" said ElBaradei. "If every human being
can live in peace, freedom and human dignity, we would not
have the conflict and insecurity we have today."
In an effort to honor the contributions of extraordinary individuals
who protect and empower the world's most vulnerable populations,
MPAC Foundation created the Human Security Award. The MPAC
Foundation's mission is to engage in the research and development
of issues related to human rights, democracy and pluralism;
to educate all Americans regarding the teachings of Islam;
and to serve the Muslim American community and promote the
Islamic values of mercy, justice, peace, human dignity, freedom,
and equality for all.
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