Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has been awarded the 2025 Founder’s Sunhak Peace Award for his efforts in promoting peace and democracy in Africa. He will be the first African leader to receive this award, following in the footsteps of former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ¹.
The award ceremony will take place on April 11, 2025, in Seoul, South Korea, where Jonathan will be honored alongside other laureates. The Sunhak Peace Prize Committee recognized Jonathan’s consistent mediation efforts and pro-democracy initiatives, particularly through his work with organizations like the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, the West African Elders Forum, and the International Summit Council for Peace.
The Sunhak Peace Prize has two categories: the Founder’s Sunhak Peace Award and the Sunhak Peace Prize. Past winners of the Sunhak Peace Prize include:
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Former Senegalese President Macky Sall
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African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina
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Dame Sarah Catherine Gilbert, co-developer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
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GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance
Jonathan will receive his award alongside three other winners:
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Patrick Awuah Jr., Founder and President of Ashesi University in Ghana
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Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen
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Wanjira Mathai, Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute
