Cat Stevens Awarded Peace Prize
an article by Charlie

Only two months after being deported from the United States when he showed up on the government's "no fly" list and was accused of having ties to terrorist networks, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) was awarded a peace prize by Mikhail Gorbachev. The ceremony for the "Man of Peace" award took place in ome.

Islam, who has denounced the actions of terrorists and donated money to victims of 9/11, denies he has any relationship with terrorist organizations. He also discussed his feelings about receiving a peace prize in light of the recent controversy surrounding his deportation. "Perhaps it's part of the irony that sometimes you have to go through a test in order to achieve a prize. Today I'm receiving a prize for peace, which is actually, I would say, a bit more descriptive of my ideas and my aims in life."

The award was about more than just a denunciation of violent extremism, however. Islam is the founder of Small Kindness, a charity that raises money for children affected by war in the Balkans and the Middle East. He also recently re-recorded his hit song, Peace Train, to raise money for children in Iraq. The gesture is significant, as Yusuf has largely stopped playing since converting to Islam in the 1970s. You can read more about Islam's awards on the CNN report.

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This report was posted on November 18, 2004. The moderator is Joe.

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