Ammon News - The Austrian Embassy in Amman is delighted to announce that Jordanian Masarat for Development and Progress has been awarded a special recognition for its project “Dialogue Beyond Divides: Jordan’s Path to Religious Understanding”, as part of the prestigious Intercultural Achievement Award (IAA) of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

To mark the occasion, the Austrian Embassy hosted a reception at the Austrian Residence honoring the organization’s achievement. Welcoming the guests, Her Excellency the Ambassador of Austria noted that this recognition marks the fifth consecutive year a Jordanian project has been honored under the Award, highlighting the strength and relevance of Jordanian civil society initiatives.

She emphasized that while religion plays a central role in shaping identity and values, its politicization and misuse through hate speech pose serious challenges to peaceful coexistence, making bridge-building initiatives more important than ever.

The Ambassador highlighted Jordan’s long-standing tradition of religious coexistence and its role in advancing interfaith dialogue, noting that Masarat’s work builds on this legacy. She presented the Award certificate to the organization and confirmed the transfer of the €3,000 prize to support the continuation of its activities.

The Intercultural Achievement Award (IAA) is a flagship initiative of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, recognizing innovative civil society projects worldwide that promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue, human rights, and peaceful coexistence.

The awarded project was implemented between March and August 2024 within the Dialogue 360 framework, combining 12 university-based sessions, six community dialogue seminars, and a 10-episode podcast series to address the misuse of religious discourse and rising hate speech. The initiative engaged approximately 900 participants, exceeding its original targets and reflecting strong public interest in dialogue-based approaches to social cohesion.

“Dialogue is not an abstract concept; it is a practical tool for building trust, understanding, and social cohesion,” said Mr. Talal Ghuneimat, CEO of Jordanian Masarat for Development and Progress. “Through this project, we created spaces where differences could be discussed with respect and diversity could become a source of strength rather than division.”