2025 Sunhak Peace Prize: Honoring Global Leaders in Peace innovation

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee, chaired by José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission, proudly announces the laureates to be honored at the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony that takes place on April 11, 2025: Patrick Awuah Jr.(Ghana), Hugh Evans(Australia), and Wanjira Mathai(Kenya).

Patrick Awuah (Founder of Ashesi University)

Patrick Awuah Jr., Founder and President of Ashesi University in Ghana, has transformed higher education in Africa. His pioneering efforts have established Ashesi University as a model for cultivating ethical leadership and innovation. With a 90% graduate employment rate and a student body comprising 50% women, Awuah has empowered a new generation of African leaders to address the continent’s most critical challenges.

Hugh Evans, Co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen, has mobilized a remarkable $43.6 billion to combat poverty and advance global development. Through his advocacy, more than 1.3 billion lives worldwide have been positively impacted, with improved access to healthcare, education, and other essential services. Evans has redefined global activism, bridging grassroots movements with systemic policy changes to tackle inequality on a global scale.

Wanjira Mathai, Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute, is a leading force in environmental restoration and sustainable development. As a driving figure in the Green Belt Movement, she has spearheaded the planting of 51 million trees and leads the AFR100 Initiative, which seeks to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land across Africa by 2030. Mathai’s work integrates ecological restoration with economic empowerment, creating sustainable livelihoods and combating climate change.

In addition, the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation’s prestigious Founder’s Award will be presented to H.E. Xanana Gusmão, a key leader in East Timor’s struggle for independence. As the nation’s first President and current Prime Minister, Gusmão has championed peace and international solidarity through initiatives such as the g7+, fostering collaboration among fragile states to overcome shared challenges.

The award ceremony will take place on April 11, 2025, at 3 PM KST in Seoul, Korea, in a hybrid format. Each laureate will receive $200,000, a medal, and a plaque.

For more information, please visit www.sunhakpeaceprize.org.