Pax Christi International Peace Award

Pax Christi International Peace Award
The Pax Christi International Peace Award is given out every year since 1988 by the Christian peace organisation Pax Christi to other peace organisations and peace activists. The focus lies on grassroots activists and organisations that are active in an ongoing conflict, working against violence and injustice. It is considered one of the most important peace awards awarded by international non-governmental organizations. The award is funded by the Cardinal Bernardus Alfrink Peace Fund and the board of the organisation Pax Christi International decides the winners. The annual award recipients usually get media attention in Catholic news outlets worldwide.
| Sl | Name | Country | Flag | Year | Awarded For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Mark J. Seitz | Unite States | 2025 | for celebrating their relentless efforts in promoting peace, nonviolence, and protection of the Creation. | |
| 47 | Haitian Justice and Peace Commission | Haiti | 2024 | for celebrating their relentless efforts in promoting peace, nonviolence, and protection of the Creation. | |
| 46 | Sister Gladys Montesinos | Peru | 2024 | for celebrating her relentless efforts in promoting peace, nonviolence, and protection of the Creation. | |
| 45 | The Parent Circle | Palestine | 2023 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 44 | CONCORDIA Social Projects | Switzerland | 2022 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 43 | Catholic Radio Network for South Sudan and Nuba Mountains | South Sudan | 2021 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 42 | Pacific Climate Warriors | Australia | 2020 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 41 | European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL) | Greece | 2019 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 40 | No Boundaries Coalition | USA | 2018 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 39 | ZODEVITE | Mexico | 2017 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 38 | Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace of Pakistan and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan | Pakistan | 2016 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 37 | Women, Peace and Security Collective for Reflection and Action | Colombia | 2015 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 36 | Jesuit Refugee Service | Syria | 2014 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 35 | Memorial | Russia | 2013 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 34 | John Onaiyekan | Nigeria | 2012 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 33 | Pontanima | Bosnia/Herzegovina | 2011 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 32 | Louis Raphaël I Sako | Iraq | 2010 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 31 | Justine Masika Bihamba, Democratic Republic of the Congo | Congo | 2009 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 30 | Luiz Flávio Cappio | Brazil | 2008 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 29 | Women's Active Museum on War and Peace | Japan | 2007 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 28 | Rami George Khouri | Palestine | 2006 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 27 | Ogarit Younan | Labenon | 2006 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 26 | Jacques Delors | France | 2005 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 25 | Sérgio Vieira de Mello | Brazil | 2004 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 24 | Franjo Starcevic | Croatia | 2003 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 23 | Roberto Layson | Philippines | 2002 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 22 | Teesta Setavaid | Australia | 2001 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 21 | Eddie Kneebone | Australia | 2001 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 20 | Laura Vargas (Jubilee 2000) | Peru | 2001 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 19 | Ann Pettifor | United Kingdom | 2000 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 18 | Clonard Fitzroy Fellowship | Northern Ireland | 1999 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 17 | Modeste Mungwarareba | Rwanda | 1999 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 16 | Laurien Ntezimana | Rwanda | 1998 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 15 | Maria de Lourdes Martins Cruz | East Timor | 1997 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 14 | Domingos Soares | East Timor | 1997 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 13 | Gordana Stojanovic | Serbia | 1996 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 12 | Jelena Santic | Herzegovina | 1996 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 11 | Hadzi Haillovic | Bosnia | 1996 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 10 | Franjo Komarica | Croatia | 1996 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 9 | Janina Ochojska | Poland | 1995 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 8 | José Mpundu E'Booto | Congo | 1994 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 7 | Dorraine Booth-Williams | United States | 1993 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 6 | Ray Williams | United States | 1993 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 5 | Joaquim Pinto de Andrade | Angola | 1992 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 4 | Osservatorio Meridionale | Italy | 1991 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 3 | Dana Nemcova | Czech Republic | 1990 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 2 | Luis Pérez Aguirre | Uruguay | 1989 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. | |
| 1 | Margarida Maria Alves (Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores na Agricultura) | Brazil | 1988 | honour men and women who standup for peace, justice, non-violence across the globe. |

Pax Christi International Peace Award Laureates (2030 ~ 2021)

Mark J. Seitz
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2025
Bishop Seitz has made it clear that the commitment of the Catholic Church in the United States is to defend and protect immigrants, and to highlight the values and contributions that immigrants bring to our country, beginning with their deep faith: “There is a prophetic dimension to this work… Our solidarity must be visible… The way of love cannot be hidden under a bushel basket. It must be embodied, incarnate and public.” [from the Pax Christi International announcement]

Haitian Justice and Peace Commission
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2024
The Haitian Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), often associated with the Catholic Church, is a crucial local force in promoting human rights, democracy, and stability in Haiti. Operating in an environment plagued by political instability, gang violence, and extreme poverty, the JPC serves a vital humanitarian role by documenting abuses, providing legal assistance to the vulnerable, and advocating for the rule of law.Its core mission aligns with peacebuilding by working to resolve conflicts non-violently at the community level. The JPC actively monitors the judicial system to ensure fair trials and combats arbitrary detention, which are essential steps toward social peace. By empowering citizens and fostering accountability, the Commission strives to create the foundational conditions—justice and equity—necessary for enduring peace to take root in the often-fragile nation.

Gladys Montesinos
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2024
Gladys Montesinos, a Peruvian Carmelite missionary, is a celebrated figure in peace and humanitarian action, particularly within the Bolivian Amazon. Her work is dedicated to supporting the rights and protecting the environment of vulnerable Indigenous populations facing severe threats from extractive industries and environmental degradation.Sister Montesinos employs active nonviolence and grassroots resistance as core methods for peacebuilding. Her efforts involve supporting communities in their nonviolent struggles for land rights, cultural preservation, and ecological justice, effectively promoting a sustainable and harmonious relationship between the people and their environment. Her relentless advocacy for peace and protection of the Creation earned her, alongside the Haiti Justice and Peace Commission (JILAP), the prestigious Pax Christi International Peace Award in 2024. Her legacy is one of empowering marginalized groups and demonstrating the profound impact of faith-based nonviolence at the periphery of global conflicts.
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The Parent Circle
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2023
The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF) is a unique, joint Israeli-Palestinian organization comprising over 700 families who have all lost an immediate loved one to the ongoing conflict. Instead of seeking revenge, the members choose a courageous path of dialogue, reconciliation, and peacebuilding.The PCFF’s humanitarian mission is rooted in sharing personal stories of loss to humanize "the other side" and break cycles of fear and dehumanization. Through educational activities, public events, and media outreach, they actively engage both Israeli and Palestinian societies, emphasizing that reconciliation is a prerequisite for achieving a sustainable political peace agreement.Their work, which earned them the Pax Christi International Peace Award in 2023, is a powerful demonstration that shared grief can be transformed into a catalyst for empathy and mutual understanding, paving the way for a future where both nations can live with dignity and security.

CONCORDIA Social Projects
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2022
CONCORDIA Social Projects is an international, independent non-governmental organization dedicated to comprehensive humanitarian work for children, young people, and families in need across Eastern Europe, including Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Kosovo. Founded on Christian values, their mission is to go where the need is greatest, offering rapid and direct help to combat poverty and social exclusion.Their humanitarian efforts are wide-ranging, encompassing alternative care programs, educational initiatives, social centers, and emergency aid, such as the extensive support provided to Ukrainian refugees in neighboring countries. The organization’s work actively promotes long-term peace by fostering self-determined, independent lives for marginalized individuals. By strengthening families, ensuring child protection, and providing vocational training and education, CONCORDIA addresses the root causes of systemic inequality and vulnerability, ultimately contributing to more socially cohesive and stable communities. This holistic approach ensures sustainable development and a future where dignity and opportunities are accessible to all.

Catholic Radio Network
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2021
The Catholic Radio Network (CRN) is a critical media project comprised of community-based stations across South Sudan and the Nuba Mountains, dedicated to fostering a reconciled society rooted in justice. Its core mission is to build peace through reconciliation and healing, utilizing radio as the most effective means of mass communication in a region with high illiteracy. As a humanitarian actor, CRN broadcasts shared programs on civic education, health, and development, ensuring vital, accurate information reaches approximately seven million people in indigenous languages.CRN actively promotes long-term stability by serving as an apolitical forum for constructive dialogue, allowing diverse local communities to express their views and resolve conflict triggers. It works alongside humanitarian partners like Caritas to disseminate crucial aid information and mobilize communities on issues ranging from human rights documentation to public health responses, like Ebola prevention. By fostering civic conscience and tackling root causes of conflict, CRN is instrumental in nation-building and accompanying vulnerable populations.

Pax Christi International Peace Award Laureates (2020 ~ 2011)

Pacific Climate Warriors
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2020
The Pacific Climate Warriors (PCW) are a powerful, youth-led grassroots movement whose work is inherently humanitarian. For low-lying island nations, climate change is an immediate humanitarian crisis, threatening the cultural integrity, homes, and livelihoods of entire populations through sea-level rise and increasing cyclone intensity.The PCW champions peace through climate justice, asserting their message: "We are not drowning. We are fighting." This slogan rejects the passive victim narrative, establishing them as active agents fighting for their right to existence and long-term security. Their activism is defined by non-violent direct action, often leveraging traditional culture—like using canoes to stage peaceful blockades against the fossil fuel industry.By advocating at global forums like UN climate negotiations and demanding accountability from major polluters, the Warriors seek the systemic change necessary for their communities' survival. Their focus on protecting their land, culture, and future generations—a commitment recognized by the 2020 Pax Christi International Peace Award—positions them as global leaders in the fight for a peaceful, habitable planet.

E L I L
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2019
European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL) is a critical humanitarian organization dedicated to upholding the rule of law and human rights for refugees and asylum seekers arriving on the Greek island of Lesvos. Its core mission is to provide free, independent legal assistance, ensuring vulnerable populations have access to justice—a fundamental element of peaceful society. As a vital humanitarian partner, ELIL directly addresses the immediate legal needs of those fleeing conflict and persecution, helping them navigate complex asylum procedures.By offering this crucial support, ELIL not only provides immediate aid but also promotes long-term stability and non-discrimination. Its work mitigates conflict and instability by ensuring due process, which counteracts the despair and friction caused by legal uncertainty and human rights violations. In essence, ELIL is instrumental in building peace by ensuring legal protection, demonstrating that even in crisis zones, justice and human dignity are upheld for all.

No Boundaries Coalition
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2018
No Boundaries Coalition, a nonprofit organisation connecting several diverse West Baltimore (Maryland, USA) neighbourhoods focused on public safety, access to healthy food, accountability of elected officials and voter registration drives. In 2016, in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray, a young African American man who died while in police custody in April 2015, they published “Over Policed Yet Underserved: The People’s Findings Regarding Police Misconduct in West Baltimore,” which was ultimately cited by the U.S. Department of Justice and reported to the United Nations.
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ZODEVITE
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2017
ZODEVITE, the Movimiento Indígena del Pueblo Creyente Zoque en Defensa de la Vida y la Tierra (the Indigenous Movement of the Zoque Believing People in Defense of Life and the Earth) as representatives of a wider movement, MOVEDITE, composed of indigenous groups, that in recent years has waged a nonviolent campaign to stop fracking, oil exploitation and mining business in southern Mexico.

C C J P
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2016
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace of Pakistan and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan as representatives of the nonviolent struggle of the human rights community in Pakistan and for their clear and courageous stand against persistent patterns of violence and human rights violations.

International Memorial Society
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2013
International Memorial Society, a historical and civil rights society in Russia, for its outstanding work in keeping alive the memory of the victims of political repression in Russia’s recent history and for its deep commitment to human rights in the country.

Pax Christi International Peace Award Laureates (2010 ~ 2001)

Luiz Flávio Cappio
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2008
Franciscan Dom Luiz Flávio Cappio: Bishop of Barra in the state of Bahia, Brazil, for his nonviolent action in favour of the fisher folk and river inhabitants endangered by the Sâo Francisco river transposition project, as well as to the local community itself that was so active in the movement against the river transposition project.
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W A M
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2007
The Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace in Tokyo, Japan, for its outstanding efforts to reveal Japan’s wartime crimes and its creation of the site of remembrance for peace, with a firm focus on the experiences of sexual violence against women in war and conflict.

Rami George Khouri
Pax Christi International Peace Award 2006
Mr Rami Khoury: a Palestinian-Jordanian and veteran editor, columnist and reporter for the Lebanese English Language Paper, the Daily Star, for his work (among other things) as a member of the Brookings Institution Task Force on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World and a frequent lecturer on Middle Eastern issues at conferences and universities throughout the world.

Pax Christi International Peace Award Laureates (2000 ~ 1991)
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