India’s Sehgal Foundation has been selected as a co-runner up of the prestigious Citizen Diplomacy Award for its human rights and women empowerment work in rural Indian communities, the State Department has said.
The award will be presented by Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Aaron Ringel during a virtual ceremony on September 30, the State Department said.
The fourth annual Citizen Diplomacy Award will be presented to Mohamed Amin Ahmed, founder, chairman and executive director of Average Mohamed.
Along with Sehgal Foundation, Tempe Sister Cities is the other co-runner up of the prestigious annual award.
Mr. Ahmed was selected for his grassroots work on countering violent extremism by engaging audiences in meaningful discussions about true Islamic values and institutions, democratic ideals and civil society, the State Department said.
Tempe Sister Cities was selected as a co-runner up for its unique approach to citizen diplomacy incorporating traditional student exchanges and community outreach, it said.
The Department of State’s Bureau of Global Public Affairs launched the Citizen Diplomacy Award in 2017 to celebrate significant and beneficial contributions of U.S. citizens and organisations to furthering the U.S. foreign policy objectives and strengthening relationships around the world.
Award-winning citizen diplomats have exhibited leadership in generating impactful, long-term support for the U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy objectives, the State Department added.