In a new initiative we undertake in the context of the PUIC, we thought of creating a great prize called Palestine Award For Democracy and Historical Justice. 

This is pursuant to our vision of the contact mechanism within and outside the organization, and introducing a symbolic media occasion for the meeting of the Palestinian Cause with the values of democracy and the Justice of the historical citation as well as the ideological and moral equity of the Palestinian people in their national struggle for their freedom, independence and building of their national independent state.

For sure there are many prizes in the world today. Many of these constitute a kind of social and media amusement. However, the great, respectable prizes with noble stakes and credibility, and moral commitment are few. Therefore, creating a weighty prize in the Islamic space, especially within the Islamic parliamentary filed, carrying a noble symbolic name, and expressing a just cause, is apt to draw attention – if we ensure for it the moral, legal and perhaps the financial conditions- to the different dimensions of the Palestinian cause, inter alia, the issue of the City of Al-Quds and its religious and spiritual position, particularly Al- Aqsa Mosque with all that it represents for the Arab and Islamic sentiment.

Pending the laying down of a legal and organizational basis for the creation of this prize, we may propose to the General Secretariat, and all the august PUIC members to form an ad hoc committee with limited membership to draw up a draft law for the prize as well as a vision of the mechanisms and regulations for running it. It must be an annual prize to be granted during the inaugural session of the PUIC Conference, whenever or wherever it is convened.

We are of the view that this prize should be composed of three basic branches:

The Great Merit Prize

We visualize granting this prize to legal persons who have served, and still serve, the wider horizon of the just Palestinian cause, and support international legitimacy, and the principles of justice, peace and friendship among peoples; however, those persons may be from within or outside the Islamic world; or they may be Muslim or non- Muslim; parliamentarian or non – Parliamentarian; state and government officials; secretaries of international or regionally important organizations. Why not intellectuals, media, literary or artistic characters whose humanitarian and moral horizon conform with the stakes and determinants of our prize?

Prize of Appreciation

This prize is to be granted to esteemed persons from inside the PUIC whether Speakers who have shouldered or continue to shoulder the responsibility, at the level of Member Parliaments, or the level of steering our organization itself. This category may submit their nomination files, or may be nominated by the presidency or members of the organization.

Encouragement Prize

This prize shall be dedicated to distinguished members inside or outside the organization, whether related to Secretaries General at the level of Member Parliaments or male or female researchers, who have contributed researches, studies or books that serve horizons of democratic thought, and advance parliamentary practices in our Islamic space.

A statute may stipulate the general principles and objectives of the Great Prize; define the necessary requisites as well as the various legal articles which control the specifics of the prize branches; type of certificate, shape of its shield, its material or symbolic value, also the mechanisms and conditions of candidacy and nomination; jury; and sources of appropriations, equally awarded to two or more persons- if necessary. The prize can also be withheld in case of lack of satisfactory conditions.

Prize, any prize, this or others, do not constitute, in essence, but a symbolic mechanism for expression of thankfulness to deserving people, as well as a moral embodiment to the spirit of gratitude to esteemed persons of both sexes, from different ethnicities, cultures, languages, and generations, that have served parliamentary life, and particularly, who have been involved, politically, diplomatically or intellectually in the struggle and humanitarian horizons of the Palestinian cause, including the issue of Al Quds Al Sharif as a spiritual, religious and civilizational Capital which faces now the threat to its legal and legitimate status in contravention of all international covenants, conventions and laws.

The prize, awarded to this or that person, becomes, in addition to its information contact function, part of the memory of individuals and groups, and hence realizes a measure of satisfaction for generous humanitarian deeds carried out by the winners, or equitable and just decisions or positions he has undertaken, which perhaps, may have involved some sacrifice or costly performance.

God willing, we hope that this prize will maintain regularity and continuity until it carries out its noble expectations in serving the Islamic World, with its large-scale geography, history, civilization and cultures, as well as in supporting horizons of democratic practice, and options of freedom, dignity, justice, security, peace and stability in the contemporary world.