Cat Stevens gets peace prize

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev presented the singer once known as Cat Stevens with a peace prize today, honouring his work for charity.

Yusuf Islam received the Man for Peace award from Gorbachev’s foundation and Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni’s office at the opening of a meeting of Nobel Peace Prize winners.

In September, the British musician was expelled from the US after authorities diverted his London-to-Washington flight to Maine to remove him, saying he was suspected of ties to terrorism.

He says he was a victim of an “unjust and arbitrary system”, and that he has denounced terrorism.

Gorbachev alluded to the musician’s troubles as he presented the award.

“Cat Stevens’ life has not been simple,” Gorbachev said. ”Every person who takes a critical stance to make the world a better place has a difficult life.”

The meeting of Nbel Peace Prize laureates is organised every year in Rome by the Gorbachev Foundation.

“I’m very honoured to be here today, not as a rock’n roller, but as someone who is sharing a platform with these noble examples,” said Islam, who founded Small Kindness, a charity to raise money for children and families suffering from poverty and war in the Balkans and Middle East.