BPUR International presented the International Award for Confronting the Political Abuse of Religion to Mr. Naguib Sawiris and Ms. Amina Bouayach during its high-level conference at the House of Commons in London on 26 March 2026.
Mr. Sawiris was recognised for his distinguished leadership, principled public voice, and sustained philanthropic commitment to advancing religious coexistence, civic equality, and responsible governance. As a global business leader and longstanding supporter of initiatives promoting tolerance and pluralism, he has played a significant role in challenging extremism and rejecting the political instrumentalisation of religion.
The award also recognises his contribution as Main Patron of BPUR International and his support for the global initiative to advance an International Treaty to Ban the Political Abuse of Religion.
Ms. Bouayach was recognised for her distinguished leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing human rights, equality, and the protection of fundamental freedoms at both national and international levels. As President of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco, she has played a pivotal role in strengthening human rights protections, promoting equality before the law, and fostering inclusive dialogue that supports peaceful coexistence.
The award also recognises her important contribution to this global initiative, including her leadership in advancing the First International Conference on the Political Abuse of Religion held in Rabat in 2022, a foundational milestone in the development of the campaign toward an International Treaty to Ban the Political Abuse of Religion.
The high-level international conference is the inaugural event for a global alliance to address one of the most persistent and destabilising drivers of global conflict under the title “Global Rules to Ban the Political Abuse of Religion – International Partnership to Address the Root Causes of Religious Conflicts.”
Sponsored by BPUR International’s stakeholder, the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief, the conference brought together senior officials, parliamentarians, religious leaders, philanthropists and distinguished dignitaries from around the world in the historic Churchill Room at the Palace of Westminster.
The conference also issued a significant international declaration, recognising the need to strengthen the international legal framework through clearer, more precise, and universally respectful standards. The declaration calls for constructive international engagement toward the development of an International Treaty to Ban the Political Abuse of Religion, aimed at moving from principle to practical protection on a global scale.
The declaration further emphasises that the initiative is non-confrontational, does not target any religion or country, and does not regulate belief. Instead, it focuses on preventing the political exploitation of religion where it leads to discrimination, exclusion, or restriction of rights, reinforcing that protecting equality and safeguarding the integrity of faith are mutually reinforcing goals.
the certificates presented to Amina Bouayach and Naguib Sawiris.
