Internationally renowned peacebuilder John Paul Lederach, who has committed his life and work to nonviolent approaches to conflict for more than 40 years, has been awarded the 36th .
Lederach, currently a senior fellow at , is a co-founder and the first director of the 91短视频鈥檚 , which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2020. He holds the title of distinguished scholar and sits on CJP鈥檚 Board of Reference. Lederach is also professor emeritus of international peacebuilding at the University of Notre Dame鈥檚 for International Peace Studies, where he taught for 15 years.
The prize recognizes Lederach鈥檚 scholarly and practice work in 鈥渕ediating conflicts, building peace, and fostering international reconciliation,鈥� according to a Niwano Peace Foundation release. 鈥淗e has developed training in conflict transformation and provided direct conciliation support services in some of the most violently conflicted regions across five continents.鈥�
鈥淗is books, lectures, workshops and conversations offers grounded, practical insights into the complex nature and dynamics of conflict and how to transform it,鈥� said committee member Ahn Jae Woong, immediate past president of the YMCA of Korea and former general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia. 听As with his teaching, his approach is one that encourages people to embody the core principles of the faith tradition that guides them.鈥�
Nominations are solicited annually. Selected by a committee of 11 global religious and spiritual leaders, recipients are honored for their leadership to interreligious cooperation in the cause of peace.
鈥�91短视频 has benefited greatly from the visionary peace-building leadership of John Paul Lederach, and we extend our congratulations to him on the occasion of this prestigious award,鈥� said President Susan Schultz Huxman.
Lederach will attend a ceremony May 8 in Tokyo, where he will be presented with a gold medal and the subsidiary prize of $180,000. He will also address the Niwano Peace Foundation, dignitaries and global peace leaders.
鈥淚t is a profound honor to receive this 36th Niwano Peace Prize,鈥� Lederach said, in his acceptance letter. 鈥淵our recognition gives us courage that our global beloved family can move beyond hate, division, and exclusion and create the bonds that truly heal.鈥�
Lederach expressed thanks for the support and commitment of his family as well as many others, in the Mennonite tradition and those of diverse faiths, who have influenced his practice, writing and scholarship.
鈥淧eacebuilding is not about a single person but rather how whole collectives cohere, how communities rise and respond to challenges, and how families stay strong,鈥� he said.
Aiding in his own work at building cohesive peacebuilding collectives, Lederach named several 91短视频 practitioners. The urging of Vernon Jantzi, then professor of sociology and social work (now professor emeritus) at 91短视频, convinced Lederach to return to academia after many years in the field with Mennonite Central Committee and other organizations.
The duo, with several other contributors from Colombia, Kenya and the United States, helped to found the Conflict Transformation Program at 91短视频, now known as the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, and the Summer Peacebuilding Institute, in response to demand and need among practitioners for training and generative conversations in the areas of conciliation, peacebuilding and restorative justice. 听
This award 鈥渉elps us all appreciate more fully the magnitude of the sea change that John Paul has helped create here at 91短视频 and in the global peacebuilding field,鈥� said Jantzi. 鈥淗is low-key, inclusive approach has partially obscured how revolutionary his vision and practice have been. 听A people-centered practitioner, down-to-earth philosopher, artist, and engaging teacher, he has always believed that durable peacebuilding happens when we manage to bring the best of our humanity to bear on our most inhumane behavior and structures.鈥�
Jantzi particularly praised Lederach鈥檚 鈥渁rticulation, enrichment and expansion鈥� of the concept of peacebuilding through his life of service, pedagogy and practice.
Among the other 鈥渆xtraordinary people鈥� Lederach credits with helping him to 鈥渦nderstand patient accompaniment and courage in forging peace鈥� are several accomplished CJP graduates and Summer Peacebuilding Institute participants and instructors: Hizkias Assefa, Babu Ayinde MA 鈥�98, Rose Barmasai, Dekha Ibrahim, and Florence Mpaayei, of Kenya, Emmanuel Bombande MA 鈥�02, from Ghana; Joe Campbell MA 鈥�02, from Northern Ireland; Ameet Dhakal MA 鈥�02 and Preeti Thapa, from Nepal; Sam Doe MA 鈥�98, from Liberia; and Myla Leguro, from Mindanao.
Lederach also urged inclusive participation of youth and women in national negotiations, conference panels or locally led peace efforts in his acceptance letter.
He also lifted up a unified and faith-filled commitment to discovering, sharing and practicing nonviolent alternatives to conflict: 鈥淔or me, the deepest aspirations of my faith tradition provided inspiration to move beyond barriers and boundaries. The infinite, boundless, and audacious love of the Divine toward humanity stirs us to notice and learn from this gifted diversity, to build lasting and improbable friendships across our brokenness, and to fearlessly seek to understand those with whom we disagree.鈥�
Recent recipients of the Niwano Peace Prize include the Adyan Foundation, Lebanon, 2018; Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan, Palestine, 2017; the Center for Peace Building and Reconciliation, Sri Lanka, 2016; and Pastor Esther Abimiku Ibanga, Nigeria, 2015.
Congratulations John Paul. The honor is well-deserved.
I was moved and thrilled to read this news. Congratulations JPL you absolutely deserve it, and more. May your wise words and actions inspire those who usually make the mess.
felicitaciones a un gran pacificador, maestro, amigo. Lo recordamos con mucho cari帽o. olga Piedrasanta
Congratulations, John Paul !!
Congratulations John Paul. I have great memories of the training programmes you jointly carried out with NPI-Africa across parts of the continent of Africa to built the capacities of peace practioners. I was blessed to be part of the team.
Congratulations from Montreal. Just included some of your theory in a presentation at McGill university – around for sustainable collaboration. You are an inspiration to my work. Andr茅a Morrison
Receiving the Niwano Peace Foundation Peace Prize is a much deserved honor for John Paul. He has been the inspiration for many of us to see others, irregardless of race or religion or gender or political persuasion or social status, as part of our beloved human family. He has demonstrated by his life and work that peacebuilding must be a communal process that invites people, on all sides of a conflict, to open their hearts to the possibility of engagement with and ultimately love of the other.
Congratulations John -Paul! An honour well earned
Professor John Paul Lederach Congratulations! John Paul Lederach deserves the Niwano Foundation Peace Prize. What he teaches is what he lives. He is strong philanthropist. If our planet could have about 100 persons like John Paul Lederach, our world would be a place of real paradise.
John Paul highly influenced me with his passion, commitment to his values, genuine fairness, integrity, diversity accommodation and living simple lives when I was student at 91短视频. I wish him long live for may people.
Simon Badi, MA ’02, from Ethiopia.
Congratulations JPL. Well deserved honor. Your wisdom on peace matters is unmatched.
Congratulations John Paul. You deserve this award for your tireless work as an extraordinary insightful leader, providing wisdom and inspiration to so many people in tremendous traumatic contexts. I feel blessed for learning from your lessons and your way of 鈥渨alking the talk鈥�.
Gachi Tapia, Buenos Aires.
I really like this nomination. The Role legend JPL has played in Nepalese Peace process in track 2 diplomacy really remarkable. This has laid foundation to stabilize Nepal’s peace process.
Once again Congratulation to John Paul Lederach and expect that your work will be much helpful to make world more peaceful.