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Leadership and Good Governance Award
The UPF Leadership and Good Governance Award is presented on behalf of the Founders, Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, to those manifesting excellence in leadership, integrating professional excellence and practical wisdom with moral and spiritual principles.
Candidates from all fields and realms of governance are considered, including leaders from religion, government, non-governmental organizations, corporations, and educational institutions. Past recipients include current and former heads of state and government, parliamentarians, and religious leaders from throughout the world.
The Leadership and Good Governance Award recognizes those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership principles, including fairness, honesty, accountability, transparency and inclusiveness, based on the core values of:
- living for the sake of others in service to God and humanity.
- promoting harmony and cooperation beyond barriers of race,
religion, nationality and culture; - strengthening marriage and the family as the school of love;
- affirming universal spiritual values
Statements of Prior Awardees
UPF peace principles have played a very important role in helping us to end the violence in Kenya. You are bringing hope for a brighter future to our nation, to Africa and the world.
- H.E. Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya (2008-13)We look forward to the day when all people feel value in work and labor, and have basic needs for clothing, food, education and health, met. Agony and resentment can be dissolved as people live according to the UN declaration for human security and the eradication of hunger.
- H.E. Dr. Abd Elaziz Hegazy, Prime Minister of Egypt (1974-75)Above all we must recognize that knowledge and understanding of ourselves, and of our Creator God, will inevitably lead us to a love of others, our brothers and sisters of all nations, all continents, faiths, and religions. Living for the sake of others is at the core of UPF’s teachings.
- H.E. Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, Prime Minister of Barbados (1987-94)As head of the Ukrainian Peace Council, I am ready to take an active part in this activity. We are ready to cooperate for the sake of creating a global network of peacemaking organizations that will help develop worldwide peacemaking processes.
-H.E. Leonid M. Kravchuk, President of Ukraine (1991-94)
Afghanistan - Received Award 2/23/2013
Hon. Mohammad Karim Khalili has worked for peace in Afghanistan his entire life, first as a student activist and then participating in the resistance against the Soviet occupation. During his political career, Hon. Khalili has fought for the rights of women and ethnic minorities at great personal risk from the Taliban. As Vice President (2004-2014) and Chief of the Afghan High Peace Council (2017-2019), Hon. Khalili was involved in rebuilding Afghanistan through the construction of roads, schools, hospitals, and markets.
Afghanistan - Received Award 6/23/2006
H.E. Hamid Karzai served as President of Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. He briefly served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the Islamic State of Afghanistan government. While working to rid Afghanistan of the Taliban, he was elected chairman of the interim government by UN officials. He received many honors including an Honorary Knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. He is the Khan (head) of the Popalzai Durrani Pashtun tribe of Kandahar Province in the southern part of the country.
Albania - Received Award 10/30/2005
H.E. Rexhep Meidani served as the 4th President of Albania from 1997 to 2002. He was elected member of the parliament in the Albanian Assembly in 1997. He holds PhDs from the University of Paris XI and the University of Tirana. In the area of physics, he is considered one of the leading academics in the country. In civil society, he served as Chairman of the Board of the Albanian Center for Human Rights.
Antigua and Barbuda - Received Award 9/12/2014
H.E. Dr. John William Ashe served as President of the United Nations General Assembly from 2013 to 2014. He played a central role in the negotiations for the Sustainable Development Goals and launched the Global Sustainable Development Foundation to foster the achievement of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals. He was President of the UNICEF Executive Board in 2012. He served as Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the UN.
Australia - Received Award 9/2/2005
Hon. Dame Marie Roslyn Bashir served as Governor of New South Wales in Australia from 2002 to 2014. She also was the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services. She was known for her extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement in service to the administration and people of New South Wales, particularly as an advocate for improved mental health outcomes for the young, marginalized, and disadvantage through the promotion of collaborative health programs, and as a leader in tertiary education.
Barbados - Received Award 8/15/2003
H.E. Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford served as the fourth Prime Minister of Barbados from 1987 to 1994, having been appointed Deputy Prime Minister the year before. In 1993, he also held the position of Minister of Finance. H.E. Sir Sandiford is an economist who has taught at the Barbados Community College. He has also served as Co-chair of the Summit Council for World Peace and was Barbados’ first resident ambassador in China from 2010 to 2013.
Belarus - Received Award 8/15/2003
H.E. Prof. Stanislav S. Shushkevich served as the first head of state of independent Belarus after it seceded from the Soviet Union, serving as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (1991-1994). He steered Belarus to independence, playing a key role in the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States and supporting social democratic reform. He was outspoken against crushing authoritarian leadership. He was a scientist with doctorates in both physics and mathematics and a member of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences.
Bosnia & Herzegovina - Received Award 8/12/2014
H.E. Zivko Budimir served as the 9th President of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2011 to 2015. He is the founder and current president of the Party of Justice and Trust. Previously he was a Colonel General in the Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Major General in the Croatian Army. As President, H.E. Budimir has advocated for closer cooperation between the entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia & Herzegovina - Received Award 10/26/2003
Hon. Dr. Anto Domazet served as the finance minister in the government of Bosnia & Herzegovina (2001-2003). He is Professor Emeritus of the University of Sarajevo where he taught at the School of Economics and Business from 1993 to 2016, with research interests in global marketing and economic transition. A member of the Parliamentary Assembly, he serves on the Committee for Social Sciences of the Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Bosnia & Herzegovina - Received Award 10/26/2003
H.E. Dr. Ejup Ganic served as President of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1997 to 2001. He also served as the nation’s Vice President from 1994 to 1997. He is the founder and current president of the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, holds a doctorate in Engineering Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and has been a lecturer at NYU, the University of Chicago, and Moscow State University.
Bosnia & Herzegovina - Received Award 10/26/2003
Hon. Bozidar Matic served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia & Herzegovina (2001). He also served as the Minister of Finance and Treasury and President of the Academy of Sciences and Arts. Hon. Matić was the first person from his country to be admitted as a member of the World Academy of Sciences. He was known for his talents as an educator and the respect he earned from both his political allies and his opponents.
Bosnia & Herzegovina - Received Award 10/26/2003
Dr. Boris Tihi was a professor of Economics at the University of Sarajevo, serving as Rector from 2000 to 2004. Receiving his doctorate in 1969, Dr. Tihi educated generations of economists until his death in 2017. He was highly respected in educational and scientific circles, and published many books and articles.
Burundi - Received Award 9/14/2005
H.E. Pierre Nkurunziza served as the ninth president of Burundi from August 2005 until his death in June 2020. As a born-again Protestant and a Hutu, he supported the critical integration of the Tutsi and other minorities with the Hutu. He was key in negotiating peaceful reconciliation and power-sharing agreements to end his country’s bloody civil war. He became known as a man of peace, dialogue, and compromise after facilitating peace during several intra-national violent conflicts.
Cambodia - Received Award 11/19/2019
Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has served as the Prime Minister of Cambodia since 1985. He has been promoting international cooperation for peace by participating in various international peace forums and initiatives, including those organized by the Universal Peace Federation. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership for sustainable development and promoted multilateral cooperation for peace and progress, serving as Chairman of the Association of South-East Asian Nations in 2002, 2012, and presently in 2022 as well as hosting the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in 2021.
Cambodia - Received Award 8/15/2003
H.R.H. Prince Norodom Sirivudh is a Cambodian statesman and royal who led Cambodia in various capacities throughout his long career, most often as both King and Prime Minister. He served as a Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1994 and as Deputy Prime Minister from 2004 to 2006, and, concurrently, as Co-Minister of Interior.
Congo Brazzaville - Received Award 8/12/2004
Hon. Dr. Justin Koumba was President of the National Assembly of Congo-Brazzaville from 2007 to 2017. His keen leadership and diplomacy was called upon as President of the National Transitional Council during politically sensitive times especially from 1998 to 2002 and again as President of the National Human Rights Commission from 2003 to 2007. He was an official at the United Nations as UNESCO’s representative of Central Africa and was Minister of National Education in 1992.
Costa Rica - Received Award 7/27/2004
H.E. Rodrigo Carazo Odio served as President of Costa Rica from 1978 to 1982. Carazo played a central role in founding the University for Peace, an international educational institution established by the United Nations. His presidency saw an expansion of Costa Rica’s energy sector and the formation of the Central American Democratic Community. After his presidency, Carazo was involved in improving relations between North Korea and the West, resulting in the opening of channels of communications between the United States and North Korea.
Cote d’Ivoire - Received Award 4/4/2012
H.E. Henri Konan Bédié served as President of Côte d’Ivoire from 1993 to 1999. He was the country’s first ambassador to the United States and Canada following Cote d’Ivoire’s independence in 1960. In 1997 he made history by engineering a diplomatic reconciliation with neighboring Ghana, a longtime rival. He served as Minister of Economy and Finance from 1966 to 1977 and became the first Chairman of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s joint Development Committee.
Cyprus - Received Award 7/27/2004
Mme. Oya Talat served as the First Lady of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from 2005 to 2010. A chemist and women’s rights activist, she married H.E. Mehmet Ali Talat in 1978. Mme. Talat has had a career advocating for the women of Cyprus to organize in the name of peace. She was the first president and one of the founders of the Movement of Women for Peace and Federal Solution for Cyprus.
Dominica - Received Award 8/3/2018
Cardinal Kelvin Felix is the Roman Catholic Archbishop emeritus of Castries in the Caribbean (1981-2008). He was Associate General Secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches from 1975 to 1981. Pope Francis appointed him Cardinal in 2014. He is the Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria della Salute a Primavalle in Rome. He has taught at the Seminary of St. John Vianney and has served as Professor of Sociology at the University of the West Indies.
Egypt - Received Award 8/15/2003
H.E. Dr. Abd Elaziz Hegazy served as the 38th Prime Minister of Egypt from 1974 to 1975. He was a professor at Cairo University. He served as Minister of the Treasury (1968-1972), and Minister of Finance and Foreign Trade (1973-1974). Throughout his political career and retirement, H.E. Dr. Hegazy has advocated against the waste of public money and highlighted the problem of deep wealth inequality in Egypt, which boasts both lavish tourist resorts and impoverished slums.
Fiji - Received Award 2/23/2013
Hon. Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau served as First Lady of Fiji from 2009 until 2015, as the wife of Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, the President of Fiji. She was outspoken against sex trafficking and worked to promote family values. She served in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and was appointed Minister of Tourism. Hon. Adi Koila graduated from the Oxford University Foreign Service Program. She is the daughter of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the first prime minister of Fiji and then president.
Gabon - Received Award 2/23/2013
H.E. Jean Ping was the President of the United Nations 59th General Assembly from 2004 to 2005. He served as Chair of the African Union Commission from 2008 to 2012. His diplomatic skills have facilitated several important mediations to restore peace and stability in central Africa and find a solution to a political crisis in Cote D’Ivoire. From 1990 to 2008 he was appointed to four different Gabonese ministries including the Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Guatemala - Received Award 12/15/2019
H.E. Jimmy Morales served as the 50th President of Guatemala from 2016 to 2020. First rising to prominence as a TV comedian, H.E. Morales was elected on a platform to oppose corruption, deal with chronic malnutrition, and improve education. After his presidency, H.E. Morales served as Guatemala’s deputy to the Central American Parliament. He holds degrees in Business Administration, Theology, and Strategic Studies.
Guinea-Bissau - Received Award 2/23/2013
H.E. Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo served as Interim President of Guinea-Bissau from May 2012 to June 2014 during a political instability and transition after a coup d’état. During this time, he succeeded in bringing peace, reconciliation, and unity to his country. In fact, he was considered “un-corruptible and the most trustworthy candidate” by many in West Africa. He was also President of the National People’s Assembly of Guinea-Bissau in 2009 and 2012.
Guyana - Received Award 7/27/2004
H.E. Hamilton Green served as the 5th Prime Minister of Guyana from 1985 to 1992. Active in politics since 1961, he is the first and only Muslim Prime Minister of Guyana along with being the first and only Muslim Prime Minister in the Western Hemisphere. Before his premiership, he served as First Deputy Prime Minister and Vice President. He also served as the Mayor of Georgetown, the nation’s capital, from 1994 to 2016.
Haiti - Received Award 8/3/2003
H.E. Jocelerme Privert served as the Interim President of Haiti from 2016 to 2017. He served in the General Tax Directorate from 1979 to 1999. He served as Economics and Finance Minister from 2001 to 2002, and was reappointed as Minister of Interior and Territorial Communities until 2004. He served his country as a senator from 2011 to 2016, and was President of the Senate in 2016. After his presidency, H.E. Privert publicly emphasized the importance of a peaceful transition of power in Haiti.
Hungary - Received Award 10/3/2003
Prof. Erno Lazarovits serves as Director of Foreign Relations of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary. He is Deputy Chairman of MUSZOE, the Association of Holocaust Survivors in Hungary, Member of the Christian-Jewish Council, and Deputy Secretary General of the International Mauthausen Committee. Lazarovits’ memoir, Wanderer in Hell, describes his experiences during the Holocaust, his time as a forced laborer in Hungary, the march to the Mauthausen concentration camp, and liberation in 1945.
Iceland - Received Award 8/15/2003
H.E. Steingrimur Hermannsson served as the Prime Minister of Iceland from 1983 to 1987, and again from 1988 to 1991. As Prime Minister, Steingrímur hosted the Reykjavik Summit between Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and US President Ronald Reagan, helping pave the way for the end of the Cold War. Later, he served as the governor of the Central Bank of Iceland (1994-1998). During his retirement, Steingrímur gave his public support to Iceland’s environmental movement.
India - Received Award 7/6/2009
Hon. Dr. Pawan Chamling is an Indian politician. He has served as Chief Minister of Sikkim, a state in India, holding this office from 1994 to 2019, longer than anyone else has held this office. His long term of service has been attributed to his focus on development and his ability to keep peace. He is the Founder and President of the Sikkim Democratic Front. Previously, he served as Minister for Industries, Information and Public Relations from 1989 to 1992.
India - Received Award 7/27/2004
H.G. Geevarghese Mar Coorilos was appointed in 2010 as the first Metropolitan of Mumbai Dioceses in India. His community building emphasizes worship, study, and service in an effort to usher in spiritual awakening among professionals and foster interreligious dialogue and harmony. He earned his BA from Calicut University and MA from Sree Venkateshwara University. He obtained his Bachelor in Divinity from Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, and did post-graduate studies at Heythrop College, University of London.
India - Received Award 7/27/2004
Hon. Dr. Laxmi Mall Singhvi served as High Commissioner for India in the United Kingdom from 1991 to 1997. He was conferred a Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award in 1998. While serving in the parliament, his attention went to unearthing and ending corruption. As a member of parliament, he was appointed to High Commissioner to the Court of St. James in 1991. He was also a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.
Indonesia - Received Award 2/12/2002
H.E. Abdurrahman Wahid known as Gus Dur, served as the 4th President of Indonesia from 1999 to 2001. A Muslim cleric, President Wahid was a defender of moderate Islam and secular politics and opened up relations with Israel. He was an advocate of interfaith dialogue, encouraging “people of good will of every faith and nation” to unite against the religious hatred that underlies and animates terrorism. He was head of Nahdlatul Ulama, a Muslim group with some 40 million members.
Israel - Received Award 8/15/2003
Archbishop Boutros Paul Nabil Fares El-Sayah is an Archbishop of the Maronite Church and Curial Bishop of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch. He studied at the Seminary of Ghazir and Saint Joseph University in Beirut. In 1996 he was named by the Synod of the Maronites to the Holy Land by Pope John Paul II. He received his title of Archbishop from Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. Arch. El-Sayah has advocated for the deepening of relationships among different Christian denominations and communities in the Holy Land.
Japan - Received Award 11/14/2008
H.E. Yasuhiro Nakasone served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party from 1982 to 1987. During his term as Prime Minister, Nakasone improved Japan’s relationship with China and the USSR while also working closely with the United States. He served in Japan’s House of Representatives for more than 50 years. In 1991, he founded the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), which facilitates parliamentary officials’ discussions of solutions to shared problems with their counterparts in other countries.
Kenya - Received Award 8/12/2014
H.E. Raila Amolo Odinga served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. When H.E. Odinga ran for president, violent riots arose. In order to bring peace and cohesion to the country, he made history by fostering peaceful cooperation and holding country-wide tours together with his rival, President Kenyatta. He was a Member of Parliament from 1992 to 2007 and had several Ministerial positions. He was appointed High Representative for Infrastructure Development at the African Union Commission in 2018.
Lesotho - Received Award 8/12/2014
His Majesty King Letsie III is the first son of the late King Moshoeshoe II and Queen ’M‘amohato Seeiso and was installed as King of Lesotho in 1996. He had a special interest in providing programs to help youth develop as responsible and enterprising citizens. He focused attention on nutrition and food security and was appointed to be the Special Ambassador for Nutrition for the Food and Agricultural Organization in 2016 as well as Champion for the Human Capital Project of the World Bank in 2018.
Liberia - Received Award 7/27/2004
H.E. Wesley M. Johnson served as Vice Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia from 2003 to 2006. He was widely considered to be a unifier, having a natural talent to get along well with others. He was the Liberian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Egypt, and the Holy See. Before entering politics, he brought pride to Liberia by representing his country in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo as a champion sprinter.
Malawi - Received Award 10/3/2003
H.E. Dr. Isaac Chikwekwere Lamba served as Secretary of State for the Ministry of Education and Culture for Malawi from 1988 to 1991. He served as the Malawi Ambassador to France, Germany, and Russia as well as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Malawi to the United Nations in New York. Having a strong academic background, he lectured at the University of Malawi.
Mali - Received Award 8/12/2014
H.E. Dioncounda Traoré was President of the National Assembly (2007 to 2012) and appointed as the interim President in 2012 following a violent military coup. Due to unresolved hostilities, rebellion, and Islamist terrorism, Traore was beaten to unconsciousness by a mob of junta supporters and had to leave the country to recover. Despite continued unrest, he bravely returned after a few months and led his country to resolve conflict and restore its freely elected democratic government. A peaceful election was finalized in September 2013.
Mongolia - Received Award 2/4/2004
H.E. Ravdan Bold became the Ambassador of Mongolia to the United States in 2003. H.E. Bold previously served as executive secretary of the National Security Council of Mongolia (1997-2003), adviser to the parliament and director of the Institute of Strategic Studies (1996-97), and deputy director of the Mongolian Central Intelligence Agency (1996). He also held various posts in the Institute of Strategic Studies (1991-96), the Ministry of Defense (1989-91), the Embassy of Mongolia to Japan (1985-89), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1984-85).
Mongolia - Received Award 10/16/2005
H.E. Doloonjin Idevkhten served as Deputy Speaker of Mongolia from 2007 to 2008, and also as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism in Mongolia. H. E. Idevkhten has served as Ambassador of Mongolia to Russia starting in 2009. H.E. Idevkhten was active in promoting his country’s economic development.
Nepal - Received Award 3/21/2017
Rt. Hon. Parmanand Jha served as the first vice president of Nepal from 2008 to 2015. Previously he served as a Supreme Court judge in the capital of Kathmandu. He built relationships between China and Nepal for the sake of peace, stability, and economic and human prosperity.
Nepal - Received Award 11/22/2005
Prof. Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma is a Nepali educationist and the founding Vice Chancellor of Kathmandu University in Nepal. When Nepal’s educational system needed expansion and modernization, he made significant contributions to the development of education policy and promoted much needed technological education. He holds a degree of Philosophy in Chemistry from the University of South Bank, London. He is a member of the National Commission for UNESCO.
Nepal - Received Award 11/22/2005
H.E. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai served as Prime Minister of Nepal (1990-1991 and 1999-2000). He was the officiating President of the Nepali Congress for nearly 26 years. He was one of the main leaders involved in transitioning Nepal from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional, democratic multi-party system. He is credited for successfully holding the 1990 parliamentary election, a milestone in Nepalese history. Bhattarai was a Hindu Brahmin, fond of reciting Bhagvad Gita, and was regarded as virtuous, religious, and saintly.
Nepal - Received Award 3/17/2007
H.E. Girija Prasad Koirala served as the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1991 to 1994, 1998 to 1999, 2000 to 2001, and from 2006 to 2008. He was the Acting Head of State of Nepal between 2007 and 2008 as the country transitioned from a monarchy to a republic. He was a steadfast fighter for good governance, promoting liberal democratic principles, and the establishment of a long-term democratic form of governance despite being imprisoned and exiled for his efforts earlier in his career.
Nepal - Received Award 12/2/2018
H.E. KP Sharma Oli served three terms as Prime Minister of Nepal from 2015-2016 and 2018- 2021. Other positions he held in service to the country include: Deputy Prime Minister (2006-2007), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2007), and Minister of Home Affairs (1994-1995).
Nepal - Received Award 2/15/2015
H.E. Madhav Kumar Nepal served as Prime Minister of Nepal (2009-2011) and in other important ministries including Foreign Affairs and Defense. In the 1990’s his insistence for dialogue instead of military combat resulted in a peaceful end to a decade-long Nepalese Civil War. In 2010, he resigned as Prime Minister in order to resolve a governmental deadlock and pave the way for a national consensus government. He gave strong support for “World Moral Day” which encouraged citizens to stay on the path of integrity.
New Zealand - Received Award 8/2/2003
Hon. Sir Peter Wilfred Tapsell served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (1993 to 1996), notable for being the first Māori Speaker. He also served as Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister for the Arts, Minister of Police, Minister of Civil Defense, Minister of Science, Minister of Forestry, and Minister of Defense. He was known as a true gentleman, well-liked by people of every political leaning. In addition, he was an orthopedic surgeon and, earlier, played rugby for the All Blacks.
Nicaragua - Received Award 8/3/2018
H.E. Arnoldo Aleman served as the 81st President of Nicaragua from 1997 to 2002. From 1990 to 1995, he served as mayor of Managua, the nation’s capital and largest city, pursuing urban renewal projects to repair damage to the city from the devastating earthquake of 1972. Alemán’s term as president saw economic growth, the reconstruction of Nicaragua’s roadway system, and the building of schools in some of Nicaragua’s poorest areas. He served as President of the National Assembly in 2002.
Nigeria - Received Award 3/24/2012
H.E. Dr. Ibrahim A. Gambari holds the record of being the longest-serving Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations, serving under five Heads of State. At the UN he served as President of UNICEF, First Special Adviser on Africa to the UN Secretary-General, Under-Secretary-General of the UN for Political Affairs, and Chairperson of the African Union Commission as the Joint African Union–United Nations Special Representative for Darfur. He also founded the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy, and Development.
Nigeria - Received Award 2/26/2015
H.E. Goodluck Jonathan served as the President of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. When Vice President (2007 to 2010), he was instrumental in negotiating an agreement with waring militant groups to lay down their weapons. After losing the 2015 presidential election, he displayed his love for peace and democracy by calling the then president-elect, congratulating him. It was the first peaceful transference of power in the history of Nigeria. He is the chair of UPF-Africa’s International Summit Council for Peace.
Palau - Received Award 12/11/2019
H.E. Thomas Remengesau, Jr. served as the President of Palau (2001-2009 and 2013-2021). He advanced Palau’s presence in the United Nations, elevating Palau to leadership among the international community through such environmental initiatives as the Micronesian Challenge. He became a leader among South Pacific nations by advocating awareness of global warming and its effects in the region. Remengesau successfully promoted the expansion and growth of tourism in Palau by highlighting the exquisite marine life and natural resources of his country.
Palau - Received Award 12/2/2005
Hon. Chief Reklai Rafael Ngiramng is Paramount Chief of the Uedes Clan in the Melekeok State of Palau and a strong advocate for environmental conservation. The Chief served in the U.S. Marines for 23 years with deployments to Lebanon, Dominican Republic and two tours in Vietnam. Following the Marine Corps, he managed Palau’s International Power Systems and Engineering Company IPSECO power plant.
Paraguay - Received Award 8/3/2018
H.E. Dr. Federico Franco served as President of Paraguay from 2012 until 2013. A surgeon by profession, H.E. Franco served as chairman of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party and governor of the Central Department from 2003 to 2008. He was elected as Vice President of Paraguay in 2008 and after President Fernando Lugo’s impeachment, Vice President Franco succeeded Lugo as President to complete the presidential mandate until 2013.
Philippines - Received Award 11/19/2019
Hon. Jose de Venecia, Jr. served five times as the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2008. He is the Founding Chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties. He has a long and impressive history of building alliances and brokering peace agreements such as the 1996 peace pact between Muammar al-Gaddafi and Nur Misuari, resolving military rebel violence, and in the Mindanao conflict in 1997.
Qatar - Received Award 11/15/2012
H.E. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser served as the Ambassador of Qatar to the United Nations (1998-2011) and as President of the UN General Assembly (2011-2012). He was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (2013-2019). Previously he served as Qatar’s ambassador to Jordan (1993-1998). As an international diplomat, he has urged the international community to seek creative solutions to the world’s problems, emphasizing the need for collaboration and consensus-building on the world stage.
Samoa - Received Award 3/11/2004
H.E. Tuila’epa Malielegaoi served as the sixth Prime Minister of Samoa from 1998 to 2021 and was the longest serving Prime Minister. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and held the portfolios of Tourism and Trade, Commerce & Industry. He worked for the European Economic Community before entering the parliament in 1981.
Senegal - Received Award 1/18/2018
H.E. Macky Sall has been President of Senegal since 2012 and is now serving his second term. He was elected as Chairperson of the African Union in 2022. As President, he implemented a reduction of governmental size and financial waste, initiated anti-corruption efforts, strengthened democratic and fair elections, reduced poverty, built national infrastructure, and revitalized national alliances. It has been said that his keen leadership is the symbol of a new generation in Senegal’s politics as well as across the whole continent.
Slovakia - Received Award 10/10/2005
H.E. Robert Harencar served as the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czechoslovak Federal Republic and later as Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Ukraine. He was a board member of the Slovak Union for Human Rights and Peace, and Vice President of the Alexander Dubcek Society. Known for his passion and sense of humor, H.E. Harenčár was the first president of UPF-Slovakia, represented Slovakia at many international events, and was a member of UPF’s Global Peace Council.
Slovakia - Received Award 7/7/2006
H.E. Michal Kovac served as the first President of Slovakia from 1993 to 1998. He was one of the founders of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, served as the Finance Minister from 1989 to 1991, and was Chairman of the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia in 1992. He played a key role in the dissolution of the communist government of Czechoslovakia and its division into the independent democratic countries of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Solomon Islands - Received Award 3/11/2004
H.E. Sir Allan Kemakeza served as the seventh Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from 2001 to 2006. During militia rivalry and national turmoil, his governance resolved the conflict through the international community and peacekeepers. He was the Speaker of the National Parliament from 2010 to 2014. He served as Deputy Prime Minister (2000-2001), Minister for Police and Justice (1989-1990), Minister for Housing and Government Services (1991-1993), Minister for Forests, Environment & Conservation (1995-1996), and Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace (2000-2001).
Solomon Islands - Received Award 10/31/2004
H.E. Sir Francis Billy Hilly served as the fourth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from 1993 to 1994. He was a member of the National Parliament from 1976 to 1984, and 1993 to the present. He served as Minister of Commerce, Industry and Employment; Minister for Home Affairs; Minister for Health and Medical Services; and Deputy Prime Minister.
South Sudan - Received Award 10/4/2020
H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit has been President of South Sudan since its independence in 2011. Prior to independence, he was President of the Government of Southern Sudan, also the First Vice President of Sudan from 2005 to 2011, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. At the end of the civil war and upon attaining national independence, he urged the South Sudanese to seek peace by calling all “to forgive, though we shall not forget.”
Sri Lanka - Received Award 8/12/2014
H.E. D.M. Jayaratne served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2010 to 2015. He was first elected to parliament in 1970. He was appointed Minister of Land, Agriculture and Forestry in 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2001. Later positions include: Minister of Agriculture (2000); Minister of Post and Telecommunication (2004-2006); and Minister of Plantation Industries (2007).
Sri Lanka - Received Award 11/21/2005
Hon. W.J.M. Lokubandara served as Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from 2004 to 2010. After being elected as Speaker of Parliament in an extremely tight election, he urged unity in order to “safeguard democracy and avoid confrontational politics.” Other ministerial posts, include the Ministries of Cultural Affairs, Education and Media; and the Minister of Indigenous Medicine. In various ministerial roles, he fostered Sri Lankan culture by promoting the Sinhala language and literature and popularizing indigenous herb teas.
St. Lucia - Received Award 6/9/2003
H.E. Julian Robert Hunte served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saint Lucia from 2001 to 2004. He was the mayor of Castries, the capital of Saint Lucia, from 1970 to 1971. He was Ambassador and Permanent Representative for Saint Lucia to the United Nations from 1998 to 2001. He served as President of the UN General Assembly from 2003 to 2004. He received the Papal Honor of Knight of the Grand Cross Pian from Pope John Paul II in 2004.
Sudan - Received Award 2/4/2004
H.E. Elfatih M.A. Erwa served as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations from 1996 to 2005. He became the State Minister for Defense in 1995 after serving as the National Security Adviser (1989-1995). He began his career as an Army and Security Officer in 1970, and was promoted to the rank of Major-General in 1995. He was Consul General at the Embassy of Sudan in Moscow (1977-1980), and in Addis Ababa (1980- 1984).
Tajikistan - Received Award 9/13/2006
Dr. Saifullo Sadulloevich Safarov serves as the Deputy Director of the Strategic Research Center under the President of Tajikistan. The Center provides information about the nation’s economy, growth, and development plans. He is the Chairman of the National Association of Political Scientists and the chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Relations of Tajikistan.
Tonga - Received Award 10/31/2004
H.E. Baron Vaea served as Prime Minister of Tonga from 1991 to 2000. He was known as a man of honesty, sincerity, and conviction – a true champion of peace. He devoted 56 years to government service, as Tonga’s first High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1969 until 1972, as well as ministerial posts: Minister of Labor, Commerce, and Industries; Minister of Agriculture and Forestry; and the Ministries of Civil Aviation, Tourism, Education and Marine and Ports.
Trinidad & Tobago - Received Award 8/3/2018
H.E. Anthony Carmona served as the fifth President of Trinidad and Tobago from 2013 to 2019. Prior to his presidency, H.E. Carmona had a distinguished career in law. He was an Appeals Counsel at the International Criminal Court during the Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. He served as a High Court Judge at the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago, and as a judge of the International Criminal Court from 2012 to 2013.
Tuvalu - Received Award 3/11/2004
H.E. Saufatu Sopoanga served as the eighth Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2002 to 2004 and as Deputy Prime Minister from 2004 to 2006. He drew international attention for his speeches warning about the effects of the rising sea level on Tuvalu and other low-lying island countries. He was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Special Ministerial Adviser in the Ministry of Works, Communications & Transport. After leaving the parliament, he served as Secretary-General of the Tuvalu Red Cross.
Ukraine - Received Award 10/20/2005
H.E. Leonid M. Kravchuk served as the first President of Ukraine from 1991 until 1994. He is also a former Chairman of the Parliament (Verkhova Rada) and People’s Deputy of Ukraine. H.E. Kravchuk signed the Lisbon Protocol in 1992, under which Ukraine relinquished its nuclear arsenal. H.E. Kravchuk’s presidency is often ranked as one of the best in Ukraine’s history by opinion polling among Ukrainians. He is seen as a key contributor to Ukraine’s achievement of independence.
United Kingdom - Received Award 11/21/2008
H.E. Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. The longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century, she was the first woman to hold that office. She was elected Member of Parliament in 1959 and appointed Secretary of State for Education and Science (1970-74). Rt. Hon. Thatcher oversaw many changes in the governance of the UK that continue to be felt in the modern day.
United States - Received Award 2/4/2004
Hon. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving the State of Georgia (since 1993). Bishop is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, as well as the Blue Dog Democrats, a group of moderate to conservative House Democrats. Due to his willingness to work across the aisle, Bishop was ranked the 16th most bipartisan member of the 114th Congress.
United States - Received Award 2/4/2004
Hon. Danny Davis is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving the State of Illinois, since 1996. He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He worked to pass the American Community Renewal Act and New Markets Initiative, which brought investment and jobs to economically depressed areas. In the 110th Congress, Davis introduced legislation to facilitate the return of ex-offenders to the community at large in the Second Chance Act, signed into law in 2008.
United States - Received Award 2/4/2004
Hon. Benjamin Gilman served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving the State of New York from 1973 to 2003. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 until 1945 during World War II. During the 1970s, Gilman became closely identified with the issue of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action in Southeast Asia. In recognition of his contribution to furthering U.S. ties with India, he was awarded India’s second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2001.
United States - Received Award 8/15/2003
Dr. Cheryl Ann Lau served as general counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995-1996. She serves as Judge Pro Tempore for the Carson City Justice and Municipal Courts, Nevada. She entered public life in the 1980s, serving as Deputy Attorney General (1987-1991) and Secretary of State for the state of Nevada from 1991 until 1995. She has been a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University in the John F. Kennedy School of Government (Institute of Politics) since 1997.
United States - Received Award 2/4/2004
Hon. Howard Curtis Nielson was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving the State of Utah from 1983 to 1991. He was educated at the University of Utah, University of Oregon, and Stanford University. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives of Utah and served four terms. He retired from Congress to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
United States - Received Award 4/16/2004
Hon. Charles Rangel served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 to 2017. He was the second-longest serving member of the House of Representatives at the time of his retirement. He is a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War where he led a group of soldiers out of a deadly Chinese army encirclement during the Battle of Kunu-ri in 1950.
United States - Received Award 2/15/2004
Hon. Curt Weldon served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 2007, representing the State of Pennsylvania. He was vice-chair of the Armed Services Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee. He co-chaired the Duma-Congress Study Group, the official inter-parliamentary exchange between the United States and Russia. He led numerous bipartisan congressional delegations to visit North Korea in order to improve relations. He was an advocate for wildlife and ocean preservation.
Uzbekistan - Received Award 12/8/2010
Mr. Rakhmanjon Pulatovich Rasulov serves as an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan. In the government ministry, he was an instrumental player in conducting and designing the nation’s effective foreign policy.
Vanuatu - Received Award 8/16/2006
H.E. Ham Vanuaroroa Lini served as Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 2004 until 2008. His policies emphasized anti-corruption measures, transparency, political stability and good governance. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister and in a wide range of areas in several ministerial appointments such as the Minister for Trade, Commerce, Industries and Tourism, Minister of Justice and Social Welfare, Minister of Planning and Climate Change Adaptation, and Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities.
Vanuatu - Received Award 5/22/2004
H.E. Edward Nipake Natapei served as the Prime Minister of Vanuatu on two occasions (2008-2010 and 2011) and as Deputy Prime Minister. His primary policies included transparency, good governance, and fighting corruption. He also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1991, acting President in 1999; Speaker of the Parliament; and Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities. Because of his propensity and passion for spiritual leadership, he was appointed as a Presbyterian Church elder.
Zambia - Received Award 2/4/2004
H.E. Mwelwa C. Musambachime served as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations in N.Y. from 2000 to 2005 as well as non-resident Ambassador to Cuba, and non-resident High Commissioner to Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and other English-speaking Commonwealth countries in the West Indies. He has taught at several universities and is currently a professor of history at the University of Zambia.
Zimbabwe - Received Award 2/23/2013
H.E. Morgan Richard Tsvangirai as President of the Movement for Democratic Change from 1999 to 2005, was steadfast in his fight to rid his country of the violently oppressive rule of the then-president. He persevered, despite his being threatened, imprisoned and tortured several times. At one point, he brokered a power-share agreement with the competing president which resulted in his becoming the Prime Minister from 2009 to 2013.