The Sunhak Peace Prize is awarded to those acknowledged as contributors to peace and human development. It was founded at the behest of Hak Ja Han Moon, the widow of Sun Myung Moon, to honor his ideals and achievements as an alternative to the Nobel Peace Prize.
Former Nigerian President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been named the recipient of the 2025 Founders’ Sunhak Peace Award by the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation in Seoul, South Korea.
Dr. Jonathan is the third laureate and first African leader to receive this prestigious honor, following former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The award ceremony, the sixth edition, will take place on April 11, 2025, in Seoul, where Dr. Jonathan and other winners will be celebrated.
The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee recognized Dr. Jonathan for his tireless peacebuilding and pro-democracy efforts across Africa, particularly through his leadership of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, the West African Elders Forum, and the International Summit Council for Peace.
The Founders’ Award and the Sunhak Peace Prize are biennial honors granted to individuals and organizations advancing global peace and human development. Past Sunhak Peace Prize laureates include former Senegalese President Macky Sall, AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and vaccine pioneer Dame Sarah Gilbert.
Dr. Jonathan will receive the award alongside three other honorees: Patrick Awuah Jr. (Ashesi University founder), Hugh Evans (Global Citizen CEO), and Wanjira Mathai (World Resources Institute Africa Director).
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, founder of the Sunhak Peace Prize, praised the laureates for their commitment to peace through action and cultural change. The prize, established in 2015, celebrates contributions in sustainable development, conflict resolution, and environmental conservation.
