CAIRO, June 21 (IslamOnline.net) – Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei will award Prince Charles, the heir to the British crown, an international prize for his contribution to understanding Islam in the West during a London ceremony on Thursday, June 24.

The Prince of Wales was unanimously chosen by an international jury set up by the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) for his earnest efforts to promote dialogue between the Islamic and Western civilizations, OCIS financial manager, Basel Mostafa, told IslamOnline.net over the phone from London.

"His public statements, such as his landmark speech "Islam and the West" delivered in 1993 on the occasion of his becoming Patron of the OCIS, had been backed by practical initiatives," the jury said.

They cited "encouragement of interest in Islamic cultural heritage through the work of the Prince's foundation, participation in the activities of a number of Islamic organizations, and his tireless work to encourage leaders around the world to maintain and extend such dialogue and partnership."

This will be the first time that the 50-thousand-dollar prize be given to a Westerner.

During his state visit to the United Kingdom in 1992, Sultan Hassanal launched the prize and an OCIS-based international program to promote tolerance and understanding between people of different religions.

Among prominent Muslim scholars who won the prestigious prize are Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, Sheikh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda and Adnan Mohd Zarzar.

The award has been given every two years since 1998, but was annual at the very beginning.

He said Prince Charles has been always a "defender" of all faiths, particularly Islam.

"Prince Charles as the future [British] monarch has made it very clear that he would like to be the defender of faith as he respects other communities, faiths and religions other than Christianity," said the Muslim activist.

Sacranie further added that the heir to the throne has tackled - at great lengths - how Islam is misunderstood in the West.

"This received very positive publicity not just in the West, but in the Muslim world as well," he said.

"Add to that, he usually pays two visits a year to Islamic institutions in the UK."

Dilowar Hussain Khan, the director of East London Mosque and member of the newly inaugurated London Muslim Centre, agreed.

"(Charles) personally supports Islamic projects in London, speaks in a very positive way about Islam in general," he told IOL.

Khan recalled the prince's 2001 visit to the East London Mosque, which gave a much-needed moral support for the Muslim community at the time.

"The support of Prince Charles, in his capacity as member of the Royal family, is very significant. He also supports Islamic art and culture and we need support from people like him," Khan added.

Through his several speeches on Islam and the West, Prince Charles has stressed the need for the two to live and work together.

"It is odd, in many ways, that misunderstandings between Islam and the West should persist. For that which binds our two worlds together is so much more powerful than that which divides us," he said in his famous speech Islam and the West, delivered on his visit to the OCIS on October 27, 1993.

The Prince of Wales is also a staunch advocate for bridging the gap between Islam and Christianity.

"Islam and Christianity share a common monotheistic vision: a belief in one divine God, in the transience of our earthly life, in our accountability for our actions, and in the assurance of life to come," he said in his much-applauded speech.