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We are very happy and proud to announce that on 28 October, 2019, in Vienna, Austria, Sister Purobi Pascalina Chiran, RNDM received “Intercultural Achievement Award 2019,” from the ‘Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs’, for the training on Inter religious Dialogue for the Female Catholic students in Bangladesh. Republic of Austria recognizes successful inter religious dialogue projects from Austria and Abroad. The intercultural Achievement Award (IAA) constitutes a key initiative to further develop inter religious dialogue as a priority tool of the Austrian Foreign Cultural Policy. There is no alternative to dialogue and international cooperation, when addressing our common challenges. Above all the Intercultural Achievement Award allows us, to cast a spotlight on remarkable initiatives and to introduce outstanding projects to a wider public audience.
Herr Martin Ledolter, LL.M. Director, Austrian Development Agency said, “ It’s been such a pleasure to present Sister Purobi Pascalina Chiran and Sister Mohini Pathang from the John Paul II Centre for inter religious dialogue, Faculty of Angelicum University, Rome, in Bangladesh with an intercultural Achievement Award for their tremendous work.”
AustrianDev reports “ With inter religious training and commitment staff like sister Pascalina Purobi Chiran and Sister Mohini Pathang , the John Paul II Centre for inter religious dialogue, (Faculty of Angelicum University, Rome) in Bangladesh provides young women with an opportunity to create narratives that accept and value religious beliefs that are different from their own.”
It is glad that our Sr. Purobi Pascalina. Chiran is winner of the “Intercultural Achievement Award 2019,” from John Paul II Center for Inter religious Dialogue, Angelicum University Rome (Alumna) inter religious dialogue project of the year 2019. Sr. Mohini Pathang accompanied Sr. Purobi to Vienna, Austria for IAA ceremony programs for two days. Sisters travelling costs, air tickets, hotel accommodation, food and other necessaries were paid by the ‘Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs.’ We are grateful to Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe and the John Paul II Centre for inter religious dialogue, Faculty of Angelicum University, Rome, for their support and encouragement at our work and for in our lives.
The project “Interreligious dialogue training for female Students aims at empowering young female students from Colleges and Universities to promote intercultural dialogue as a tool to create inclusive narratives that of the “other” and to counter patriarchal structures of the Bangladeshi society. In the increasingly tense atmosphere between various religious and ethnic groups, the project has the intention to build a community of female influences and peace – builders as bridge – builders between Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Communities.
This training gives women knowledge and understanding of the shared values and common grounds between different cultures, people, ethnic groups and communities. The inter cultural dialogue means promoting mutual understanding as well as exchanging ideas, opinions and views between different cultures in order to coexist and cooperate fruitfully in various areas of life. The many tensions that exist in this region testify to the need of similar projects, done through the tools of inter cultural and interreligious dialogues. This initiative also focuses on instilling confidence in young women by teaching them about “the dialogue of life, the spirituality of dialogue, and the dialogue beyond their own community.”
Sr. Purobi Pascalina Chiran is the organizer of inter religious dialogue project for the female Catholic students of our RNDM Sisters in Bangladesh Province. Congratulations Sr. Purobi on your well- deserved success!
With thanks
Bangladesh Province
