WASHINGTON, DC—The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) is pleased to announce that Anne-Elisabeth Giuliani of Georgetown University will receive the 2015 President’s Award for distinguished volunteer service at HCEF’s 17th International Conference Awards Banquet on Oct. 16.
Since 2000, Ms. Giuliani has worked to bring the mission and programs of the Holy Land Ecumenical Foundation to the attention of her colleagues and the students at Georgetown University and to the broader international affairs community with which she works. A historian and a linguist, Ms. Giuliani also serves as a Chaplain-in-Residence at one of the university’s residence halls. She is actively involved in the university’s campus ministry programs and has been the spiritual adviser to the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, a religious student group, for many years.
Through these connections, she has successfully provided HCEF with numerous student volunteers, interns and staff members who have worked at the HCEF headquarters in Bethesda, MD, and in HCEF’s overseas office in Bethlehem. She has also organized lectures and other Palestinian advocacy events on campus as well as annual craft sales during Advent, featuring beautiful carved olive wood artifacts.
“I am convinced that the spirit of God is at work in HCEF,” says Ms. Giuliani. “I have always been impressed with their faith and sense of mission. They address real issues in the Holy Land and have an impact greater than some of our best-intentioned and best-experienced international institutions. The support of Christians through concrete inter-religious dialogue is very important to HCEF and to me.”
In announcing this year’s award recipient, Sir Rateb Rabie, CEO of HCEF, stated: “Anne-Elisabeth, for many years, you have been an inspirational friend committed to the Holy Land Christians. Never have you passed an opportunity to advocate for HCEF’s mission of peace and justice in Palestine. You have done everything in your power to ensure that HCEF is well equipped with faithful and exceptional volunteers and have even recommended several staff members.”
“You have embodied the theme of this year’s conference: Our Faith: A Commitment to Justice, Peace and Coexistence,” Sir Rateb added. “That is how your faith has been expressed, and for this I am deeply grateful.”
The 2015 HCEF President’s Award will be presented during their Awards Banquet the evening before the conference: Friday, Oct. 16, 7:00 p.m., at the Washington Marriott Georgetown.