Winnipeg/CMEDIA: Lt.-Gov. of Manitoba Anita Neville will reportedly present the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Advancement of Interreligious Understanding to Dr. Mohinder Singh Dhillon at a ceremony at Government House on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m.
Since his immigration to Canada with his wife and daughter in its Centennial Year, 1967, Dhillon has helped to establish the Sikh community in Manitoba fostering genuine multifaith understanding and collaboration in this province and other parts of Canada.
His engagement in wider public service also included assisting the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the City of Winnipeg’s Community and Race Relations Committee.
Presented yearly at a ceremony at Government House, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Advancement of Interreligious Understanding is most given often to an individual who best embodies understanding between all religious groups,
Past recipients include:
- Rev. Dr. Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd – with a commitment to interdisciplinary studies and a deep passion for interfaith work, MacKenzie Shepherd has served urban and rural United churches for thirty years, most recently at Westworth United Church.
- Bill Weissmann – lay clergy at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, where he has guided daily prayer services and welcomed visitors from many different faiths, and gives his time to explain Judaism to religious studies classes across Manitoba colleges and universities;
- Rev. Bill Millar – a collaborative leader who during his many years as pastor at Knox United Church, united communities across cultures and beliefs;
- John Longhurst – nationally respected advocate and chronicler in the fields of Christian ecumenism and interreligious dialogue and understanding. Founder and reporter of the Winnipeg Free Press project to increase religion coverage;
- Michel Aziza – the driving force behind the Operation Ezra project to rescue, sponsor and resettle Yazidi refugees since its inception;
- Manju Lohda and Ray Dirks – collaborators on numerous educational multi-faith initiatives including the In the Spirit of Humanity project and Leap of Faith DVD;
- Devon Clunis – former chief of the Winnipeg Police Service;
- Rev. Karen Toole – former provincial spiritual care co-ordinator, radio host and newspaper columnist;
- Rabbi Doctor Neal and Carol Rose – Rabbi Doctor Neal has been a professor of religion at the University of Manitoba for more than 30 years and Carol is a writer, poet and spiritual teacher;
- Lloyd Axworthy – former minister of foreign affairs and president of the University of Winnipeg and lifelong active lay member of the United Church of Canada;
- the late Dr. Redwan Moqbel – former head of immunology, faculty of medicine at the University of Manitoba and a member of the Baha’i faith;
- Dr. Atish Chandra Maniar – a Hindu priest;
- Mae Louise Campbell – an Ojibway Métis elder; and
- Zane Zalis – a composer and musician.
For further information on this award and others given to worthy individuals by the lieutenant-governor of Manitoba, visit the lieutenant-governor’s website at www.manitobalg.ca.
