Rights activist Hirsi Ali given Adelson award in Vegas

Aryaan Hirsi Ali received the In Pursuit of Excellence Award at the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus’ In Pursuit of Excellence gala on Saturday, despite her controversial stance on the Islamic religion.

Hirsi Ali, who was born into a conservative Muslim family in Somalia, denounced the Quran and its teachings following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon.

“Brainwashing is happening all across the world and they’re taught to value death more than life,” the author and human rights activist said of Islam. “Those of us who value life will be builders and innovators and we’ll love our children, and never send them to die.”

Hirsi Ali started the AHA Foundation in 2008 to fight for religiously and culturally oppressed Muslim girls and women throughout the United States.

“We advocate for girls and get the government to help them, as well as provide lawyers and get agencies to understand the violence they face,” she said. “If we don’t help these girls, they’ll be targeted by Islam.”

According to Davida Sims, director of development at the Las Vegas-based Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus, a humanitarian is recognized each year at the gala, which was held at The Venetian this year.

“She was selected for her work promoting women’s equality and promoting educational access around the globe, which is dear to the Adelsons’ heart,” Sims said of Hirsi Ali. “Education is supposed to be about ideas, even if they make you uncomfortable.”

In April, officials at Brandeis University announced that they decided not to give Hirsi Ali an honorary degree at their May commencement following her negative comments about the Islamic religion.

“There are death threats against me, I’ve been compared to bin Laden, I’ve been called a terrorist, I’ve been called a sellout,” she said. “When I was told I would be receiving this honor, I was filled with deep gratitude.”

Hirsi Ali said she is working within her organization to establish a hotline and empower young leaders.

“We need to stand together and seek alliances with other groups for those who are being targeted by Islamic extremists,” she said. “I cannot be the only advocate.”

Hirsi Ali joins the ranks of last year’s winner, Aaron Ciechanover, a Noble Prize winner for his work with cancer research, and 2012 recipient Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor turned political activist.

“This honor offsets all the messages of hatred I get,” she said. “To have recognition like this sends me a message that I will take to heart, which says, ‘keep doing what you’re doing and you’re on the right track.’”

Contact Ann Friedman at afriedman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Find her on Twitter: @AnnFriedmanRJ.