Barenboim, Awwad win Indira Gandhi Peace prize

Music conductor Daniel Barenboim and peace activist Ali Abu Awwad, who have worked to promote amity among the Israeli and Palestinian people, have been jointly awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2023.

Barenboim and Awwad, whose work focuses on the use of non-violent tools of music, dialogue and peoples' participation, were chosen by an international jury chaired by former chief justice of India, TS Thakur, according to a statement from Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.

The statement said the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2023 is being jointly awarded to them for "their outstanding efforts in bringing together the youth and peoples of Israel and the Arab World for a non-violent resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict by fostering meaningful political and humanitarian dialogue, mutual social and cultural understanding, and peaceful public cooperation through the instruments of music and people's action".

The announcement comes against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict that has resulted in the death of more than 17,000 people. The conflict was triggered by the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas in southern Israel, which killed some 1,200 people. Israel's bombardment of Gaza has resulted in more than 16,000 deaths, including thousands of children.