DIVERSITY activist Harris Bokhari OBE has won the inaugural Imperial College Distinguished Alumni award, it was announced last week.
Bokhari, founder and trustee at the Patchwork Foundation, received the award from Imperial College London.
The award is given to alumni of the institute who have demonstrated “sustained and outstanding personal and professional achievements or contributions in their field(s) over a number of years”.
The campaigner has been recognised for his “relentless commitment” to working with young people, raising their aspirations and achievements through organisations such as the Naz Legacy Foundation.
Bokhari said: “Imperial College has produced a great many notable alumni over the years, which makes me even more honoured to have received this award. My upbringing and my education gave me a set of values that has defined who I have become today, and I hope to pass those values on to the next generation.”
Harris is board member for the Prince's Trust Mosaic initiative. He was appointed as Mosaic’s first honorary patron and was awarded the prestigious Beacon Award for Philanthropy Advocate 2013 for raising £1m within 12 months for various charities working in deprived communities in the UK, becoming the youngest and first Muslim to receive this honour. He now serves as a judge for the awards.
Harris is the co-founder of the Naz Legacy Foundation, which aims to enhance educational excellence and positive integration. It was established in memory of his late father, Naz Bokhari OBE, the first Asian/Muslim head teacher in the UK. The Foundation was honoured to be awarded the Big Society Award 2014 by the Prime Minister. Harris is also an ambassador for the British Asian Trust.
Harris’s interfaith work has included organising the first ever engagement event between national community, women and youth leaders from the Jewish and Muslim communities meeting with the new Chief Rabbi in Finchley Kinloss Synagogue. Harris was one of the first Muslims to be invited to the Chief Rabbi’s installation ceremony and was selected to be an Ariane De Rothschild fellow, in partnership with Cambridge University’s Judge Business School and King’s College. Harris also organised the first youth interfaith iftar at Lambeth Palace, which brought together the Archbishop of Canterbury, Chief Rabbi, Mayor of London and over 100 youth leaders from each of London’s boroughs – representing all faiths and none.
Harris was awarded an OBE in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honours List for services for young people and interfaith relations; named as one of 40 people in finance who goes further for good causes by Financial News Extra Mile List; and named as one of London’s most influential figures by the Evening Standard’s Progress 1000 list.
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