Emmanuel College Alumna and Student Receive King Charles III Medal
L-R: Dr. Karen Hamilton, Shaffni Nalir and Dr. Aruna Alexander.
By Sam Chater
Three members of the Emmanuel College community have been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for their contributions to diversity, equity and community service. The medal commemorates Charles’ coronation as King of Canada.
Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton Emm 8T6, 9T7, 0T1, was honoured for her work bringing faith communities together across Canada and internationally. Shaffni Nalir, a student in the Master of Psychospiritual Studies program, was awarded the medal for his dedicated community service. Rev. Dr. Aruna Alexander Emm 0T6, who earned a Doctor of Ministry, was recognized for her leadership in promoting religious and cultural literacy.
Dr. Hamilton served as General Secretary of The Canadian Council of Churches, Canada's largest organization of Christian denominations, for 15 years from 2002 to 2017. During her tenure she helped organize the 2010 Interfaith Leaders' Summit in Winnipeg where religious leaders from around the world came together to deliver a joint statement to G-8 and G-20 leaders, urging action on poverty, peace and environmental responsibility. The summit received international recognition for best practices in interfaith dialogue.
She co-founded of the Canadian Interfaith Conversation in 2010, a national platform for engagement amongst faith groups. She continued this work on a global scale in 2018 as co-chair of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto. This was the first year the global gathering was held in Canada. The event drew more than 8,500 participants from over 80 countries and featured strong Indigenous leadership and ceremonial participation, reflecting Hamilton’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation and inclusion in global interfaith work.
“This award uplifts all faith communities and reinforces the importance of dialogue, understanding and collaboration — here in Canada and around the world,” said Hamilton of the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
She completed a Master of Divinity in 1986 and a Master of Theology at Emmanuel College in 1997. She later returned to further her study of Scripture, earning a Doctor of Ministry in 2001.
“Emmanuel gave me the foundation to approach faith through the lens of justice, dialogue and global responsibility," she said. "It shaped my understanding that theology must speak to the world we live in, across traditions and across borders.”
Nalir has volunteered with several organizations across Toronto for more than a decade, including SickKids Hospital and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. He currently works at the Toronto Islamic Centre, where he was recently promoted to general manager. Last year, he addressed the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights concerning the rise of Islamophobia in Canada.
Nalir, who began his studies at Emmanuel in 2022, credited his parents—who immigrated to Canada from Sri Lanka—with shaping his values.
“My father was taught to read and write Sinhalese by Buddhist monks,” he said. “He taught me to seek the good in others and their beliefs.”
Nalir expressed gratitude for his time at Emmanuel, emphasizing the program’s diversity of thought.
“The highlight of the program is being in a classroom where diverse perspectives come together to exchange ideas thoughtfully,” he said.
Dr. Alexander, a founding member of the Quinte, Ont., branch of the United Nations Association in Canada and a United Church of Canada minister, has dedicated her career to advocating for diversity and inclusion and fostering interfaith dialogue. She chairs the East Central Ontario Region’s Anti-Racism, Interfaith Intercultural Forum and Belleville City Hall’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee where she is researching and implementing programs related to religious and cultural literacy in her community.
Alexander credited Emmanuel’s approach to theology and spirituality through the lens of different religions and cultures, along with its respect for the cultural diversity of its students as deeply formative.
"One of the most memorable parts of my experience at Emmanuel was the rich dialogue I shared with my Doctor of Ministry colleagues on theological issues," she said.
Emmanuel Principal Dr. HyeRan Kim-Cragg said the college has long prioritized interfaith dialogue in its programs.
“Students and faculty who are Buddhist, Christian, Muslim and from other traditions learn from each other’s perspectives while deepening their own traditions,” she said.