Lebanon’s Adyan Foundation awarded the 35th Niwano Peace Prize

The organisation’s mission is to strengthen coexistence between different groups and create the bases for solidarity between different faiths. To reach this goal, it has developed a Building Resilience and Reconciliation programme for children and educators, which offers a guide for peace and reconciliation for those affected by war in Syria.


Tokyo (AsiaNews) – The 35th Niwano Peace Prize has been awarded to Lebanon’s Adyan Foundation.

Founded in 2006 by five people – Fadi Daou, Nayla Tabbara, Mireille Matar, Tony Sawma, and Samah Halwany – with different professional and religious (Christian and Muslim) backgrounds, the Foundation’s mission is to strengthen coexistence between different groups and create contexts and platforms for solidarity between different faiths.

Unity in diversity is Aydan’s greatest asset. In particular, the organisation has developed the Building Resilience and Reconciliation programme for children and educators, which offers a guide to peace and reconciliation for those affected by war in Syria.

This programme was qualified by the United Nations Special envoy for global education, Gordon Brown, as the real antidote to Islamic State group.

The Niwano Peace Foundation wishes to commend and support Adyan’s continued service to global peace-building by awarding it the 35th Niwano Peace Prize.

In 2016, a decade after its foundation, Adyan had more than 3,000 members with some 35,000 direct beneficiaries in 29 countries, and exerts great influence in Lebanon, the Middle East and beyond.

The award ceremony will take place in Tokyo, Japan, on 9 May. In addition to an award certificate, Adyan Foundation’s representatives will receive a medal and twenty million yen.

The nomination process involves about 600 people and organisations, representing 125 countries and many religions, asked to propose candidates.

Nominations are screened by the Niwano Peace Prize International Selection Committee, set up in May 2003 on the twentieth anniversary of the Niwano Peace Prize.

The Committee includes ten religious leaders from various parts of the world, all involved in movements for peace and inter-faith cooperation.

The Niwano Peace Foundation was established in 1978 to contribute to world peace and enhance a culture of peace.

It promotes research and other activities based on a religious spirit and serves the cause of peace in fields such as education, science, religion and philosophy.

The award is named after Nikkyō Niwano, the founder and first president of the Buddhist organisation Rissho Kosei-kai.