On April 22, 2025, Hofstra University in New York awarded the prestigious Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize 2024 to two global leaders in interfaith cooperation: the United Religions Initiative (URI) and its founder the Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, and the Oxford Interfaith Forum, and its Director Dr. Thea Gomelauri. The prize, which includes a $50,000 award, recognizes organizations or individuals whose work embodies the interfaith ideals of Guru Nanak, the 15th-century founder of Sikhism.
The Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize was established in 2006 and first awarded in 2008 to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. It is administered by Hofstra’s Department of Religion and supported by the Sardarni Kuljit Kaur Bindra Foundation. The award is given every two years to those who have significantly contributed to the cause of interfaith understanding and peace.
One of the 2024 laureates, the United Religions Initiative (URI), is the world’s largest grassroots interfaith network, with over 1,200 “Cooperation Circles” active in more than 110 countries. These groups bring together people from different religions and cultural backgrounds to work on local and global issues including peacebuilding, environmental sustainability, human rights, education, indigenous legacy, etc. URI’s structure empowers these local groups to define their own goals and projects, creating a powerful network of interfaith collaboration grounded in shared values.
The prize was accepted on behalf of URI and the very Reverend William E. Swing by Eric Roux, Chair of URI’s Global Council. Roux is a well-known religious leader and interfaith activist in Europe. He serves as President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom and Vice-President of the Church of Scientology’s European Office for Public Affairs and Human Rights. Through his decades of work, Roux has unified religious leaders and grassroots activists to address shared challenges, from religious persecution to humanitarian crises. His emphasis on practical cooperation among religious communities has helped build sustainable alliances rooted in mutual respect and service.
During his acceptance speech, Roux said: “On behalf of the United Religions Initiative and the very Reverend Bill Swing, we are very honored and very grateful to receive the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize. It’s a blessing to receive such a prize from the prestigious Hofstra University, and be associated with the name of Guru Nanak, a unique man who brought to the world a unique vision of brotherhood for all humanity. We don’t not accept it as an acknowledgment for the work done, but as an encouragement to do more, in a world that desperately needs it. So thank you. But there is hope, because life is hope. And as long as there will be life, there will be hope.“
Also honored with the prize was the Oxford Interfaith Forum and its Director Dr. Thea Gomelauri. The Oxford Interfaith Forum is an innovative academic initiative that brings together scholars, faith leaders, and students from across the globe to explore religious traditions through research and dialogue. Dr. Thea Gomelauri is a biblical scholar and codicologist, the Forum offers an inclusive platform for studying sacred texts and theologies in an interfaith context.
The Oxford Interfaith Forum hosts regular lectures, symposia, and interfaith reading groups, focusing on deep comparative study of scriptures and philosophical traditions. Under Dr. Gomelauri’s leadership, it has become a key space for bridging academic rigor and spiritual exploration, offering a global intellectual community committed to religious understanding.
Dr. Aaron Koller, Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Yeshiva University, received the prize on behalf of Dr. Gomelauri and the Oxford Interfaith Forum. Dr. Koller’s research spans Semitic languages, biblical texts, and comparative theology. He is the author of several scholarly works that explore ancient texts and their relevance for contemporary interfaith engagement. His recent book, Unbinding Isaac, The Significance of the Akedah for Modern Jewish Thought, offers a modern re-examination of the Binding of Isaac story, a foundational narrative shared across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
At the core of this honor lies the legacy of Guru Nanak, born in 1469 in the Punjab region of South Asia, now in Pakistan. Guru Nanak’s teachings laid the foundation of Sikhism and focused on equality, service to humanity, and devotion to one God. He rejected caste hierarchies and religious exclusivism, traveling extensively to engage in dialogue with Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and other spiritual thinkers of his time. His hymns and teachings, compiled in the Guru Granth Sahib, remain a spiritual and ethical guide for millions around the world.
By recognizing both URI and the Oxford Interfaith Forum, the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize highlights the complementary power of grassroots action and scholarly discourse in building religious harmony. URI works through local initiatives and lived cooperation, while the Oxford Interfaith Forum provides a rich intellectual space for dialogue and comparative inquiry.
Dr. Eva Badowska, Dean of Hofstra’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, oversaw the 2024 award process. The university continues to use the prize to foster public awareness and support for interfaith initiatives that promote peaceful coexistence and shared moral purpose, under the leadership of Dr. Susan Poser, its current President.
More information about the 2024 recipients can be found on Hofstra University’s announcement.
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