The Harmony Foundation felicitated Faraaz with the award for his sacrifice, which will be remembered by the world for years to come.
A Hansal Mehta film ‘Faraz’ released in October 2022 and is now streaming on Netflix is actually an adaptation of a real-life incident. In 2016, a swanky cafe in Dhaka called Holey Artisan was attacked by five terrorists. They gunned down all foreigners and non-Muslims over an all-night bloodbath. Faraaz leaves the viewers with mixed feelings, mainly because there has been a glut of films about Muslim youth being indoctrinated into terrorism.
The terrifying darkness of the terrorist attack 6 years ago in Dhaka Bangladesh, shone a bright light who defied fear and whose invincible and indomitable courage and selfless human qualities, have continued to inspire people worldwide. Faraaz Ayaz Hossain, by then a meritorious student in the United States, gave his life by refusing to abandon his Indian friends during the attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
“In our world, very few people are willing to go above and beyond to truly care about and love others. These are the ones who do not paint other humans through the lens of caste, class, creed, or religion.” Dr. Abraham Mathai of the Harmony foundation said in a statement expressing his views on the film”. “Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain was one such empathetic person. The name Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain epitomizes bravery and selflessness in the highest sense. The young and valiant Faraaz from Bangladesh was a victim by choice of the July 1, 2016, terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh”. Dr. Mathai added.
“The name Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain epitomizes bravery and selflessness in the highest sense. The young and valiant Faraaz from Bangladesh was a victim by choice of the July 1, 2016, terrorist attack on the Holey
Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh.”
Citing Faraz’s selfless friendship towards his friends Dr Mathai said: “Despite having the opportunity to walk out freely from the bloody clutches of the terrorists, Faraaz stood by his Hindu Indian friends and was killed because he stood by the highest morals of humanity and not radical Islamic ideologies”.
“Such an incredible display of selfless courage, friendship, and brotherhood surpassing fundamentalist faith persuasions exemplified by the lad remains unequaled in our times.” It was in this backdrop that Harmony Foundation immortalized Faraaz by bestowing him the Mother Teresa Memorial Award posthumously for such an incredible display of selfless courage, friendship and brotherhood which he personified and has remained unequaled in our times.
The initiative by Harmony Foundation to posthumously confer the prestigious award to Faraaz is what gave the impetus to produce a movie extolling his martyrdom and spirit of loyalty to friendship irrespective of background or faith persuasion.
“While Faraaz’s altruism continues to inspire the Harmony Foundation, we truly commend and applaud the makers of the 2022 film Faraaz, which features this deadliest Islamic terrorist attack in Dhaka and Faraaz’s story, who bravely stood for his friends and did not desert them to save his own life”. The statement read.
Praising director Hansal Mehta for his work The Harmony Foundation said that it acknowledges Hansal Mehta, the director of the film, for highlighting and revisiting the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice 2016 in the film that honored the sacrifice of Faraaz and his bravery which was received by his mother Simeen Hossain.
“This young man stood for love and not hatred in the name of religion. He opted for compassion toward people of all faiths, unlike the cold-blooded terrorists who, in the name of Islam, murdered innocent people that tragic day.” The Harmony Foundation felicitated Faraaz with the award for his sacrifice, which will be remembered by the world for years to come.
The Harmony Foundation’s felicitation of Mother Teresa caught the attention of Ms. Indira Nooyi, and later PepsiCo Global in the year 2016 decided to launch the annual Faraaz Hossain Courage Award to felicitate all those who portray exceptional courage and those virtues to which Faraaz was a testament.
Dr. Mathai concluded his statement by saying: “Harmony Foundation’s efforts and initiative have ensured that the selfless spirit of courage and sacrifice displayed by Faraaz has not been consigned to oblivion but continues to remain present till date and this movie is a reminder of his altruism in this materialistic world we live in”.
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