Iraqi archbishop awarded Pax Christi peace prize

(December 10, 2010) Chaldean rite Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk, Iraq has been awarded the 2010 International Prize for Peace for his efforts to defend religious minorities in the troubled country. The promoter of the award, Pax Christi International said that Archbishop Sako "is one of the most prominent defenders of minorities in danger in Iraq and a firm advocate of the difficult democratization and process of reconciliation in Iraq." While receiving the prize at the headquarters of the Bishops' Conference of France in Paris on Wednesday Archbishop Sako said he was receiving the honour on behalf of the Christians of Iraq. In statements to Vatican Radio, the prelate said that "without dialogue, without this culture of opening to peace and respect of the other, there are no solutions, only barriers." He also pointed out that this prize comes on the eve of Christmas and after the Muslim celebration of the feast of sacrifice. In this context "for us, Christmas is the feast of peace and the message of heaven is 'peace on earth,'" the prelate explained