Rumi Forum held its 9th Annual RUMI Peace and Dialogue Awards on October 27, 2015 at the National Press Club.

This year’s RUMI Awards’ recipients are:

· Extraordinary Commitment to Public Service Award:    
  Ambassador John W. McDonald, Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy

· Extraordinary Commitment to Public Service Award:    
  Jerry White, Global Covenant of Religions

· Extraordinary Commitment to Community Service Award:                                    
  Tad Agoglia, First Responders Team

· Extraordinary Commitment to Community Service Award:
 Jeff Franco, City Year, Washington DC

The Rumi Forum honored recipients of the 9th Annual RUMI Peace and Dialogue Awards at the National Press Club on October 27, 2015.

This year Rumi Forum recognized the extraordinary accomplishments of Ambassador John W. McDonald and Jerry White in community service and Jeff Franco and Tad Agoglia in public service. Mr. Agoglia joined the program with a video message since he was in South Carolina helping the flood victims. Many distinguished guests joined the Rumi Forum at the National Press Club in honoring the works of the award recipients.

Emre Celik, president of the Rumi Forum and Thomas Burr, vice president of the National Press Club welcomed the guests by giving opening remarks while Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom gave the keynote speech. The speakers emphasized importance of human rights, education, community service and dialogue towards building peaceful societies.