The Religious Freedom and Business Foundation recognized Baroness Emma Nicholson and Fouad Makhzoumi for promoting religious freedom in their businesses.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, December 1, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Two business-leaders who were among 12 honorees recognized earlier in the year were awarded medals for using their business to bridge cultural and religious divides. The Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards honored business men and women from around the world for their work in interfaith relations at the inaugural ceremony held in Rio de Janeiro.

Baroness Emma Nicholson was awarded a Bronze Medal. Nicholson is the executive chairman of the Iraq Britain Business Council. She founded and chairs the AMAR Foundation in the U.K. and Iraq, which works to build business, technology, trade and investment in Iraq while supporting women of religious minorities, such as Yazidis.

Fouad Makhzoumi was also awarded a Bronze Medal. Makhzoumi is the CEO of Future Pipe Industries Group Ltd., in the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon, promotes religious freedom through vocational training to help over 10,000 Lebanese of all faiths set up sustainable businesses.

Nicholson and Makhzoumi were presented their medals at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and in the Parliament’s Westminster Hall by Brian Grimm, president of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit. Nicholson and Makhzoumi were unable to attend the award ceremony held earlier in the year.

The other recipients of the award were recognized at an award ceremony held in Rio de Janeiro. Winners were awarded with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in a ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 6, a day before the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

The awards were presented by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Global Compact Business for Peace. Both entities help educate the global business community about how religious freedom is good for business and how they can promote respect for freedom of religion or belief.

“These business leaders show the value of religious freedom – it sets people of faith free to do good motivated by their deepest and most innovative ideas,” said Grim.

The winners of the award come from a variety of religious backgrounds and manage companies and enterprises in the U.S., Indonesia, Mozambique, Uganda, Brazil, Lebanon and Iraq.

“The religious, geographic and business-type diversity of these business leaders shows that the values of interfaith understanding, religious freedom and peace have universal appeal,” Grim said.

For more information about all of the winners and honorees and their missions, please visit religiousfreedomandbusiness.org. For more information about the foundation, contact Brian Grim, president of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation.

For videos about each winner, visit vimeo.com/rfbf/videos.

Brian Grim
Religious Freedom and Business Foundation
+1.410.268.7809
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Finalists for The Global Business & Interfaith Peace Award 2016