By Matt Moore

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) _ Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was honoured at the World Economic Forum on Saturday for his efforts to promote dialogue and understanding between the Muslim and western worlds.

Clad in a black suit and accompanied by his wife, Yolanda, Ali stood up shakily to receive the first-ever prize from the Council of 100 Leaders, a group formed at the forum's annual meeting two years ago to promote understanding between the West and Muslims.

Prince Turki al Faisal of Saudi Arabia called the award an extension of the C-100's goal to promote innovative thinking.

``This global community, drawn from public figures and other leaders in business, media, religion, civil society and academia, has an unparalleled capacity to mobilize practical change,'' he said.

Britain's former archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey of Clifton, who is also on the Council of 100, recalled Ali's boxing career and his public acknowledgement of having Parkinson's Disease.

``Who among us was not stirred and moved ... as he lit the flame at the start of the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta?'' he asked.

And as he repeated the boxer's famous mantra _ ``I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee!'' _ Ali lashed out with a quick left jab.

His wife, Yolanda, gave a speech to accept the award as Ali sat back down.

``Even though his voice is silent,'' she said, choking back tears, ``dialogue is not always verbal. Sometimes it's about gestures, interaction. It's even about how you do things with other people.''