The “Klaus-Hemmerle” prize awarded to Noorjehan Majid, a Muslim doctor who is fighting together with the Community of Sant’Egidio against AIDS in Africa
Noorjehan Majid was awarded with the Klaus-Hemmerle prize, an award of the Focolare Movement. She is a Muslim lady, director of the DREAM Program of the Community of Sant’Egidio in Mozambique. This award supports the commitment for the dialogue between churches, religions and cultures. The motivation for the award reads: “As a Muslim woman, Ms. Majid has committed especially towards women who are still victims of stigma and marginalization. She did it proficiently, with motivation and with her heart”.
Annette Schavan, the German ambassador to the Holy See, stressed that “the DREAM Program of Sant’Egidio and the commitment of Ms. Majid convincingly show where Christians and Muslims may meet: in the tangible treatment of the needy man. She then added: “I would also like to express my great respect for the work of the Community of Sant’Egidio. In this moment, this community is a stroke of luck for the whole world. And many remember the work for peace in Mozambique.”
Heinrich Mussinghoff, the bishop of Aachen, reiterated DREAM’s success: “That which seemed impossible was achieved: AIDS has been defeated”. Maria Voce, president of the Focolari Movement, stressed the enormous meaning of Noorjehan Majid’s work for women in Africa.
The DREAM Program of the Community of Sant’Egidio cares for more than 300,000 sick in ten African countries, of which 70,000 children. 60,000 are children of HIV-positive mothers who are born healthy thanks to the treatment. Millions of people in these years have in some way benefitted from the DREAM Program through treatment, prevention, cure, sanitary education and training.