New York, 14 December 2000
The "Path to Peace Foundation", established with the approval of His Holiness Pope John Paul II by its president, Archbishop Renato R. Martino, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, has bestowed the "Champion of Peace" award jointly upon the three U.S. associations of the Order. The American Association, the Federal Association and the Western Association received the award for their humanitarian action, carried out in the United States and throughout the world and in particular in the Latin-American continent, in Asia and the Middle East, in fulfilment of the Order’s aims of "Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum".

Attending the solemn award-giving ceremony in the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 13 November, in concomitance with the United Nations’ General Assembly, was His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master, Fra Andrew Bertie, with the Grand Chancellor, and Amb. Count Don Carlo Marullo di Condojanni, who also spoke at the UN Assembly. Other participants included members of the diplomatic international community and representatives of the non-governmental organisations accredited to the United Nations.

The aims of the "Path to Peace Foundation" are:

to disseminate information and documentation on statements and initiatives of the Holy Father, of the Holy See and of Catholic organisations aimed at building a world of justice, charity and peace;

to initiate programmes to study the social teachings of the Church, and to promote initiatives of a cultural nature, touching on the Christian heritage of art, music and the humanities;

to foster projects of a religious, conciliatory, humanitarian and charitable nature for promoting fundamental human rights by calling attention to specific emergency needs in different parts of the world.

The Foundation’s most recent projects and programmes include the publication of the volume "John Paul II for Peace in the Middle East – War in the Gulf; Gleaning through the pages of the Osservatore Romano" and the book "The Holy See and Children: the Participation of the Holy See at the World Summit for Children". Seminars have been held at the United Nations on the Encyclical Letters "Sollecitudo Rei Socialis" and "Centesimus Annus", on "Racism and the Church: Toward a More Fraternal Society" and on "Refugees: a Challenge to Solidarity", with the participation of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Most recently, a seminar on the address of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the U.N. was held at the United Nations Headquarters. The Foundation has also given a lecture at the United Nations on Christian archaeology in the Holy Land as well as four presentations on the restoration of Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and two performances of Gregorian chants.

Last but not least, its welfare and humanitarian activities, such as emergency assistance and pastoral care for refugees and displaced persons in East Asia and the Middle East, seed money for self-help projects in hospices for lepers and collaboration in health projects for African children affected by HIV/AID.