The first-ever Commonwealth Peace Prize has been awarded to Muhammad Ashafa and James Wuye, both Nigerians.
The Interfaith Mediation Center’s co-founders received recognition for their outstanding services to Nigeria’s “peacebuilding and reconciliation.”
Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, wrote a letter of congratulations to Sani Suleiman, the Deputy High Commissioner of Nigeria, on Wednesday to proclaim their victory.
The panel, she said, was pleased by the Nigerians’ exceptional work, pointing out that their efforts have established a global standard for peacebuilding and reconciliation.
Scotland added that their “dedication to bridging religious divides, fostering mutual understanding, and preventing violent conflict has made a profound impact.”.
The letter read in parts, “As distinguished practitioners, we are confident they will serve as role models for future generations of aspiring peacebuilders. If there are pertinent issues, we would be grateful if such notification is provided in writing by Thursday, 20 February 2025, to the head of the social policy development section, Mr. Layne Robinson, at (robinson@commonwealth.int).
“In the absence of any objections by this date, we will proceed with the necessary arrangements to honor the awardees.
“We sincerely appreciate your support in this endeavor and look forward to working together to celebrate and promote excellence in peacebuilding across the Commonwealth.”
The Commonwealth Peace Prize was established on September 21, 2024, with the goal of honoring exceptional people who support international peacebuilding initiatives.
Marlborough House in London, UK, will host a special ceremony to commemorate Commonwealth Day on March 10 to formally award the Peace Prize.
In addition to receiving the award, the recipients will receive £50,000 in recognition of their significant contributions.
