The Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards held in Rio de Janeiro honored 12 business-leaders from around the world of different faiths and cultures

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, December 5, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Religious Freedom and Business Foundation and the United Nations Global Compact Business for Peace hosted the inaugural Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards in Rio de Janeiro this fall. Business-leaders from around the world gathered and were honored for using business practices to bridge religious and cultural divides in their communities.

“What we have done during this conference, is a series of miracles. Twelve of them. Each project, each story, each initiative had an impact,” Dr. Mezoui, Senior Advisor for Humanitarian Affairs and Civil Society with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations said.

At the conference, the business-leaders shared their personal stories about promoting interfaith relations. The honorees were able to collaborate on how the business community can further promote peace, understanding and human rights.

Y. W. Junardy, President-Commissioner of Rajawali Corporation, won the gold medal for facilitating thousands of marriages for low-income families of all religious faiths in Indonesia.

“The name of the game today is sustainability. And when you’re talking about sustainability, you grow the business in balance with the social environment and social justice,” Junardy said.

Don Larson, CEO and founder of Sunshine Nut Company, tied for the silver medal at the award ceremony. Larson was working for The Hershey Company when he began living in Africa. Larson said he couldn’t believe the devastating poverty many people were living in – which prompted him to found Sunshine Nut Company.

“I had a skill set that could do something about that and offer a solution that I thought would have a lasting economic impact in those communities and be an engine of transformation,” Larson said.

Jonathan Berezovsky, CEO and founder of Migraflix, won the bronze medal for his work with the social non-profit. Migraflix is an organization dedicated to teaching and celebrating the culture of immigrants and refugees in Brazil.

“I think it’s very important for business to involve with interfaith relations because for business it’s very important to involve in integration. And when you want to get involved in the integration in society, you have to deal with different cultures and different religions,” Berezovsky said.

The award winners came from a variety of religious faiths and backgrounds around the world. The ceremony gave the finalists a chance to connect with like-minded business people and come up with innovative ways to promote religious and cultural diversity in society.

“Everyone has shared their experiences, and I think we will leave for home reenergized about doing good things. It feels so good when you really help somebody,” Dr. Hanifa Mezoui said.

Brian Grim
Religious Freedom and Business Foundation
+1.410.268.7809
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Business leaders gather for inaugural Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards