DEARBORN — The American Human Rights Council (AHRC) held its annual Spirit of Humanity Awards gala at the Fairlane Banquet Center in Dearborn on Friday evening, drawing community leaders, government and elected officials, representatives of civic and religious organizations, and candidates running for office across Metro Detroit and Michigan.

The council presented its Global Peacemaker Award to Pakistan in recognition of its “diplomatic approach and vital role in mediation efforts and bringing positions closer together to ease tensions between the United States and Iran,” according to AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad.

“Constructive diplomacy remains the cornerstone of supporting international stability and safeguarding human dignity,” Hamad said, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing dialogue and building channels of communication when addressing global crises.

Pakistan’s consul general in Chicago, Zaman Mehdi, accepted the award on behalf of his government. He said the recognition “renews the responsibility felt by Pakistan’s leadership toward a region of approximately 3 billion people, where prosperity can only be achieved through peace.”

Mehdi also praised the AHRC’s role in promoting dialogue and confronting hate speech to protect human dignity.

The Civic Leadership & Community Service Award went to African American community leader Caryl Conway, who “has devoted much of her life to supporting Detroit’s neighborhoods and communities, empowering those most in need and maintaining an unwavering commitment to human rights and social justice,” according to the event program.

The evening featured a strong presence of African American community leaders.

The AHRC also presented its Community Health & Hope Award to HUDA Clinic, a charitable organization founded in 2004 to provide entirely free medical and health services to uninsured patients in the Detroit area.

The recognition honored its “steadfast humanitarian mission of embodying dignity and hope and providing compassionate medical, dental and mental health care grounded in solidarity during difficult economic and social circumstances.”

During the past year alone, the clinic served more than 7,500 patients, providing medical services valued at approximately $1.8 million.

Freedom House Detroit received the Sanctuary of Hope Award for its steadfast commitment to providing psychological, legal and humanitarian services to individuals and families fleeing persecution and violent conflict. Its work helps them heal and regain hope for new lives grounded in freedom and dignity.

In a tribute to community leadership, the AHRC honored the late Imam Abdullah El-Amin, a prominent co-founder of the Muslim Center of Detroit, recalling a life shaped by “faith and dedication to community service.”

The tribute also commemorated “his enduring legacy as an inspiring leader and bridge builder who embedded justice, compassion and human unity in Detroit’s conscience, ensuring that his noble service remains a beacon inspiring future generations and lighting their path toward solidarity and brotherhood,” according to council officials.

Imad Hamad, executive director of the American Human Rights Council, speaks at the annual banquet.

Recognition for the AHRC

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud presented a plaque of appreciation to Hamad, praising the AHRC’s tireless work and steady stream of press releases, which he said surpassed the volume of media outreach by many local organizations.

Hammoud said defending human rights requires applying the principles of justice universally and comprehensively. Gatherings such as the gala, he said, provide “a real opportunity to bring people closer and break down the barriers some seek to erect, particularly during political seasons.”

Hatred feeds and flourishes when communities become separated and the gaps between them widen, he said.

The mayor highlighted the importance of partnership and close ties between Dearborn and Detroit, pointing to the historic transformation of the Tireman Avenue area. Under his administration, he said, it has become a place for gathering and shared annual celebrations after serving for decades as a symbol of division, discrimination and police surveillance.

Hammoud said residents on both sides of the road face the same economic and social challenges. He emphasized that efforts to build bridges and understanding must reach residents and their everyday lives rather than remain confined to gatherings of prominent leaders.

He expressed his personal and official commitment to working throughout the year to confront the causes of tension and division, safeguard everyone’s human rights and strengthen peaceful coexistence among people of different backgrounds.

Col. James F. Grady II, director of the Michigan State Police and state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, also presented Hamad with an official Michigan State Police recognition badge for his persistent efforts to bring people together and build bridges between communities and law enforcement.

No compromise on rights

AHRC Board Chairman Dr. Saleh Muslah welcomed the large turnout, expressing pride in the broad participation. He said it reflected a shared commitment to the central issues defining the council’s mission: defending human rights, protecting civil liberties and safeguarding every individual’s dignity without discrimination.

Muslah said the AHRC’s team works tirelessly to advance those principles through community awareness, advocacy for equitable policies and educational programs, while firmly confronting abuses. Those efforts, he said, allow the council to remain a voice against injustice and a source of support for marginalized communities locally and internationally.

In his remarks, Hamad said upholding human rights and defending civil and constitutional liberties constitute an indivisible moral and civic duty that cannot be subject to compromise.

“We are going through one of the most sensitive and difficult periods in contemporary history when it comes to safeguarding civil rights, freedom of expression and social justice,” he said. “That requires all of us to raise our voices and reject silence or complicity in the face of abuses and injustice.”

Hamad added that the Spirit of Humanity Awards are more than an appealing title or slogan. They represent work on the ground, sustained service and the courage to stand with victims and vulnerable people everywhere, alongside tireless efforts to build bridges and uphold justice and comprehensive peace.

Speaking to The Arab American News, Hamad expressed his happiness and deep pride in the “distinguished turnout and notable African American presence, both in the audience and among those being honored.”

He emphasized the depth of the longstanding relationships the AHRC and other Arab American organizations work to build and strengthen with Metro Detroit’s African American community.

The strong African American turnout, he said, represented “the strongest and most eloquent response to all attempts to divide us, tear apart our social fabric and inflame hatred between us — attempts that some opportunists seek to exploit for their own purposes.”

His comments referred to efforts to stir racial tension between Arabs and African Americans following last month’s traffic crash in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood.