(ANS – Rome) – While the cry for peace goes up from every land, as the Pope says, an outstanding champion for peace and communal harmony, retired Salesian Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, is featured on the cover page of the September 2013 issue of “The Northeast Window”, a magazine published in Dimapur, Nagaland.

The four-page cover story is replete with pictorial illustrations documenting the soft spoken archbishop’s peace and reconciliation efforts in conflict ridden northeast India.

Abp Menamparampil acted as mediator in the conflict between the various ethnic groups and coordinates the "Joint Ecumenical Peace Team", which is committed to dialogue in Northeast India and has proved to effective in resolving local conflicts.

Over a period of 15 years during his tenure as archbishop of Guwahati, Abp Menamparampil and his Peace Team successfully led seven major peace initiatives among various ethnic groups who were in conflict. In 2011, the Salesian Bulletin launched a campaign to have him nominated as a candidate for the Nobel Peace prize, in recognition for his great efforts at reconciliation among peoples.

Next month (October 2013), Abp Menamparampil will be conferred an Honorary Doctorate from Università Urbaniana in Rome for his outstanding contribution for promotion of cross-cultural thought, and peace promotion in areas of ethnic conflict.

Archbishop Menamparampil also received the Maschio Lifetime Achievement Award 1998 from the Maschio Memorial Foundation (MMF) Mumbai.  “Awards do not matter while carrying out peace initiatives,” the Archbishop said. “I will continue my mission for peace irrespective of whether I get any recognition or award. The need of the hour is to adopt a non-confrontational attitude, tolerance and respect for each other for lasting peace in society.”

Published 16/09/2013