2025 Sunhak Peace Prize
Awarded to Patrick Awuah Jr., Hugh Evans, and Wanjira Mathai
SEOUL, April 11, 2025 – The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee has decided to award the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize jointly to Wanjira Mathai , Hugh Evans, and Patrick Awuah Jr. for their significant contributions to educational innovation, global citizenship, and environmental restoration.
Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director, Africa & Global Partnerships at the World Resources Institute, is awarded for her outstanding leadership of the AFR100 initiative, aiming to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in Africa by 2030. Additionally, she has significantly contributed to environmental restoration through the Green Belt Movement, having planted over 51 million trees alongside her mother, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai.
Hugh Evans, co-founder of Global Citizen in Australia, is honored for mobilizing $43 billion to alleviate poverty, enabling essential social services to reach approximately 1.3 billion vulnerable people worldwide.
Patrick Awuah Jr., founder of Ashesi University in Ghana, is recognized for revolutionizing education and promoting ethical leadership through innovative STEM programs and achieving gender balance by raising women's enrollment to 50%.
“These laureates have demonstrated significant, ongoing commitments to addressing critical global challenges," stated José Manuel Barroso, Chair of the Sunhak Peace Prize Selection Committee. “Their dedicated efforts reflect a vision of sustainable peace and human advancement.”
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the presentation of the Founders’ Award which was initially designated for former Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão of Timor-Leste has been put on hold. Instead, the award will be presented to former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, recognized for fostering democratic development and peaceful transitions of power, and Prophet Samuel Radebe of South Africa, recognized for his notable contributions to inter-religious cooperation and peacebuilding.
The Award Ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 AM on Friday, April 11, 2025, at the Crystal Ballroom of the Lotte Hotel World in Seoul, with 750 distinguished guests expected, including former and current heads of state, as well as prominent global leaders from approximately 100 countries.
Each laureate will receive a medal, plaque, and a monetary award of USD 200,000.
The ceremony will be live-streamed globally.
Contact Information: Sunhak Peace Prize Secretariat
Tel: +82-2-3278-5160
Email: sunhakprize@gmail.com
Website: www.sunhakpeaceprize.org
