Shah Rukh Khan receives human rights award at WEF

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Web Desk
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Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan received a Crystal Award from Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship/Reuters 

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan received an award at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Monday for his work raising awareness about human rights issues.

Shah Rukh was given a Crystal Award by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in recognition of his work championing the rights of children and women in India. The actor is a founder of a non-profit foundation, which provides support to female victims of acid attacks and major burn injuries through medical treatment, legal aid, vocational training, rehabilitation and livelihood support.

"We, the powerful, need to get out of the way, to pick the barriers apart, the ones that give us names and races and colours and hierarchies," he said at the ceremony.

"That is what I have learned from my beautifully scarred women," he added, referring to the acid victims.

Shah Rukh Khan with Sir Elton John and Cate Blanchett at WEF in Davos/Reuters 

Australian actor Cate Blanchett received a Crystal Award for her work with people who have fled their homes. British singer-songwriter Sir Elton John also received a Crystal Award for his charitable work with his AIDS foundation.

The Crystal Award is given by the WEF to artists who make a positive change in society.

And while in Switzerland, King Khan did not miss an opportunity to enjoy the cold and the snow in the picturesque Swiss Alps village of Davos. 

"Switzerland main aake yeh na kiya toh kya kiya...?!" he tweeted.

Some of the world’s top policy makers and executives have begun gathering at Davos for the annual meeting, where powerful politicians will rub shoulders with titans of industry, screen stars and influential activists for a week of earnest discussions.