Former Nigerian President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been named the recipient of the 2025 Founders Sunhak Peace Award, to be presented by the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation in Seoul, South Korea.
In a statement signed by Ikechukwu Eze, Special Adviser to Dr. Jonathan, the ex-president was recognized as the third individual – and first African leader – to receive this category of the Sunhak Award, following former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The award ceremony, scheduled for Friday, April 11, 2025, in Seoul, will be the sixth edition of the event, where Dr. Jonathan and other laureates will be honored.
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee cited Jonathan’s “consistent mediations and pro-democracy activities” across Africa as key reasons for his selection. His leadership in organizations such as the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, the West African Elders Forum, and the International Summit Council for Peace was also highlighted as instrumental in fostering peace.
The Founders Sunhak Peace Award and the Sunhak Peace Prize are biennial honors presented to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to global peace and human development.
Past recipients of the Sunhak Peace Prize include former Senegalese President Macky Sall, African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Dame Sarah Catherine Gilbert (co-developer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine), and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.
Jonathan will receive his award alongside three other recently announced laureates: Patrick Awuah Jr. (Founder and President of Ashesi University, Ghana), Hugh Evans (Co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen), and Wanjira Mathai (Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute).
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, founder of the Sunhak Peace Prize and leader of an interreligious and international peace movement, praised the laureates in a pre-event address, stating:
“Over the past decade, the Sunhak Peace Prize has identified and honoured individuals who have dedicated themselves to addressing urgent global challenges based on its three core values: respect for human rights, reconciliation of conflicts, and ecological conservation.”
Established in 2015, the Sunhak Peace Prize recognizes outstanding contributions in sustainable human development, conflict resolution, or ecological conservation. The award underscores Jonathan’s continued influence in peacebuilding efforts across Africa and beyond.
