John Paul II Center Alumna Sister Purobi Pascalina Chiran ‘16 received the 2019 Intercultural Achievement Award from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs on October 28 in Vienna.
Sister Chiran was honored for her efforts training female Catholic students in her home country of Bangladesh about interreligious dialogue.
Chiran’s project aims at empowering young female college students to promote intercultural dialogue as a tool to create inclusive narratives and to counter patriarchal structures within Bangladeshi society. The project intends to create a community of women that build bridges between Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities.
The training gives women knowledge and understanding of the shared values and common grounds between different cultures, people, ethnic groups and communities. It also focuses on instilling confidence in young women.
The Austrian government recognizes successful interreligious dialogue projects from Austria and around the world. The IAA distinction is meant to spotlight remarkable initiatives and introduce outstanding projects to a wider public audience.
