Peace & Dialogue Awards 2010

Date
Tuesday
May 4 th, 2010
6:30 – 9:00 pm

Venue
Ritz Carlton, Chicago
160 East Pearson Street Chicago, IL 60611
(at the Water Tower Place)

Allison Rosati
Anchor, NBC 5 Chicago

Allison Rosati is co-anchor of NBC5 News’ award-winning news team at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Illinois Broadcasters Association named Rosati and Warner Saunders best anchor team in 2004. Rosati joined the NBC 5 family as an anchor and reporter in August 1990.
Viewers first got to know Rosati on “First Thing in the Morning.” Five years later she enjoyed anchoring the early evening news. And in May 1997 Rosati was promoted to co-anchor of NBC 5′s 10 p.m. newscast. In addition, Rosati also co-anchors the station’s weekday 6 p.m. newscast, does a weekly segment called Wednesday’s Child and special reports.

Originally from Pine City, Minn., Rosati started her career in Rochester, Minn. in 1985. KTTC-TV hired her as a general assignment reporter and in less than a year, promoted Rosati to producer and co-anchor of the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts.

Committed to community service, Rosati volunteers her time for many Chicago-area organizations. Whether it’s the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Infant Welfare Society, the Ronald McDonald House, or the March of Dimes, Rosati enjoys giving back whenever possible. Over the years she has also helped the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, from sitting on the board of directors to helping with events to raise awareness.

Rosati has received numerous awards for her work including a National Emmy for the “Survive Alive” Station Project and Fire Prevention special. In 2004 she received the Humanitarian Of The Year award from the Italian American Police Association, who also named her Woman Of The Year in 2001. In December of 2002, Allison Rosati received the Department of Health and Human Services Adoption Excellence Award from HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. She also received an Excellence in Communications Award from the Justinian Society of Chicago, and the David Award for “Achievement in Broadcasting” and in May of 2001, she received the prestigious Dante Award from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans — an annual award to journalists who are “not timid friends to truth.” In 2000, she was honored with a Chicago Emmy Award for her role as host in “NBC 5 Presents: Millennium 2000.”

Though Rosati grew up in Minnesota, she was born in Dover, Del., while her father was stationed in the Air Force. In 1985, Rosati graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a double major in speech and communications and received cum laude honors. Gustavus has honored Rosati with it’s First Decade Award and its Distinguished Alumni award for her achievements in journalism.

Rosati and her husband have four children.

Fethullah Gulen
Turkish Muslim scholar, thinker, and poet

M. Fethullah Gulen was born in the small village of Korucuk, in Erzurum Province, Eastern Turkey, in November 1938. Known by his simple and austere life style, Mr. Gulen has been from his earliest years a gifted Islamic scholar and thinker, and a creative writer and poet. His father taught him Arabic, and initiated in him his profound love of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his Companions. Later he continued his studies under the guidance of some of the most prominent Islamic scholars in Eastern Turkey. He received further training in the religious sciences.

Mr. Gulen, so distinguished himself that he was asked to begin teaching when he was only fifteen. He did so while continuing his studies in the religious sciences. Blessed with extraordinary oratory skills, even at young age, Gulen was recognized as one of the more accomplished Islamic preachers in the early 1950s, mentioned in the same breath with some of the more learned scholars, many years his senior, in Eastern Anatolia. Gulen devoted his life trying to solve society’s ills and spiritual sufferings, and inspired the establishment of many charitable organizations to serve the welfare of the underprivileged. He published a number of well-known books, most of which remain on the best seller list in Turkey, and have also been translated into English. These include The Infinite Light, Questions, Towards the Lost Paradise, and Truth through Colors. At a time when humanity is in a desperate need of leaders and role models, we find a true innovator and an inspirational leader as well as a deeply good man in M. Fethullah Gulen.

When he retired from formal teaching studies in 1980 he had inspired a whole generation of young students, many of whom are leaders in their communities today and of course, Niagara Foundation itself, especially they are the purpose of this evening, all based upon the work of this man

Pat Quinn
Governor of Illinois

Pat Quinn (Democrat) has served the people of Illinois — both as a citizen and a public official — for more than a quarter of a century. He has organized grassroots petition drives, signed by more than four million signatures from voters, in favor tax reform, tougher consumer protection laws, and giving citizens a stronger voice in government. As Governor, Quinn serves as an advocate for consumers, taxpayers, and military men and women and their families. He also spearheads countless initiatives that foster a cleaner environment and encourage economic development in historic business districts and rural communities.

[nggallery id=37]