The Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize is a biannual, $50,000 award to "an individual or an organisation in recognition of propagating Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak Dev

Guru Nanak was the founder of the religion of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. The Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak’s divinity and religious authority, and were named "Nanak" in the line of succession.-Early life:Guru Nanak was born on 15 April 1469, now...

’s philosophy of discovering oneness of humanity by exploring the differences that separate people". The prize is administered by Hofstra University

Hofstra University

Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...

, New York as part of its efforts in the advancement of religious study, and is supported by the Sardarni Kuljit Kaur Bindra Foundation, funded by a gift from the family of Ishar Singh Bindra.

Hofstra sought nominations though press releases and placing ads in major U.S. newspapers. Notable members of the selection committee included Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu

Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...

, Inder Kumar Gujral

Inder Kumar Gujral

Inder Kumar Gujral served as the 12th Prime Minister of India. Gujral was the first PM to govern exclusively from the Rajya Sabha; , only he and Manmohan Singh have done so.-Early life:...

, Charles Schumer

Charles Schumer

Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...

, Norm Coleman

Norm Coleman

Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...

, David Rosen

David Rosen (Rabbi)

Rabbi David Shlomo Rosen CBE is the former Chief Rabbi of Ireland and currently serves as the Director of the American Jewish Committee's Department of Interreligious Affairs and the Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding...

, and Martin E. Marty

Martin E. Marty

Martin Emil Marty is an American Lutheran religious scholar who has written extensively on 19th century and 20th century American religion. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1956, and served as a Lutheran pastor from 1952 to 1962 in the suburbs of Chicago...

.

The first such prize was presented to Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama on November 11, 2007 by a delegation from Hofstra who had traveled to India for the presentation. The Dalai Lama was selected from a field of 75 nominees engaged in interfaith efforts throughout the world. Other notable individuals nominated included Arthur Schneier

Arthur Schneier

Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Founder and President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation since 1965, and Senior Rabbi, Park East Synagogue, New York since 1962, is internationally known for his ecumenical work on behalf of religious freedom, human rights, peace and inter-religious dialogue...

, Jagdish Gandhi

Jagdish Gandhi

Jagdish Gandhi is an Indian educator, noteworthy as the founding chairman of City Montessori School. The school has 20 branches in Lucknow with over 37,000 enrolled students, which has earned it a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records.The Peace and other initiatives of Jagdish Gandhi are...

, Sukhbir Singh Kapoor, Paul F. Knitter

Paul F. Knitter

Paul F. Knitter is the Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions and Culture at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. He was formerly Emeritus Professor of Theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since publishing his acclaimed book, No Other Name? , Knitter has...

, and Frank Kaufmann

Frank Kaufmann

Frank Kaufmann is the director of the Inter Religious Federation for World Peace . He is editor in chief of the IRFWP's academic journal Dialogue and Alliance, which in 2004 was named as one of the top ten religion journals by an independent panel commissioned by the American Theological Library...

. Notable organizations and groups nominated included Hartford Seminary

Hartford Seminary

Hartford Seminary is a theological college in Hartford, Connecticut, USA.-History:Seminaries in the city of Hartford date back to 1833. In 1913, the current Hartford Seminary came into existence through the combination of three Hartford-based schools affiliated with the city's Congregationalist...

 and the Molloy College

Molloy College

Molloy College is located in Rockville Centre, New York, a Nassau County community on Long Island, in the United States. with a brand new, state-of-the art residential facility. It also has a new 550 seat performing arts facility-- The Madison Theatre...

Institute for Christian/Jewish Dialogue.