Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Founders Sunhak Peace Award, which will be presented by the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation in Seoul, South Korea.
Dr. Jonathan becomes the third laureate and the first African leader to receive this honor, joining the ranks of former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
In a statement released by Ikechukwu Eze, Special Adviser to Dr. Jonathan, it was revealed that the award will be presented during the 6th Sunhak Peace Prize Award Ceremony on Friday, April 11, 2025, in Seoul.
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee cited Dr. Jonathan’s consistent contributions to promoting peace and democracy across Africa, especially through his leadership in organizations such as the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), and the International Summit Council for Peace (ISCP).
These efforts were key in advancing peace initiatives across the continent.
The Founders Sunhak Peace Award is one of two categories presented biennially by the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee to individuals and organizations recognized for their significant contributions to global peace and human development.
The Sunhak Peace Prize, which is awarded for efforts in areas such as sustainable development, conflict resolution, or ecological conservation, has honored notable figures like Senegal’s former President Macky Sall and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank.
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Dr. Jonathan will be presented with his award alongside other distinguished honorees, including Patrick Awuah Jr., Founder and President of Ashesi University in Ghana, Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen, and Wanjira Mathai, Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute.
In her pre-event address, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, founder of the Sunhak Peace Prize and leader of an interreligious peace movement, highlighted that the laureates’ lives serve as powerful examples of how peace can be achieved through concrete actions and cultural transformation.
She emphasized that the Sunhak Peace Prize honors those who have dedicated themselves to resolving global challenges with core values of human rights, conflict reconciliation, and ecological conservation.
Since its establishment in 2015, the biennial Sunhak Peace Prize has honored individuals and organizations making extraordinary strides in sustainable human development, conflict resolution, and ecological conservation.
