The 2026 Niwano Peace Prize goes to Benki Piyãko, indigenous leader and Amazon rainforest defender
Spiritual leader of the Ashaninka people in Brazil, Benki Piyãko has been promoting reforestation, environmental education, and the transmission of indigenous knowledge for over 15 years, becoming an internationally recognised voice for the defence of the Amazon.
Tokyo (AsiaNews) – The 43rd Niwano Peace Prize has been awarded to Benki Piyãko, spiritual leader of the indigenous Ashaninka people in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. The prize, awarded by the Niwano Peace Foundation, recognises his commitment to defending indigenous lands, protecting the environment, and transmitting traditional culture.
The award ceremony will be held on 12 May 2026, in Tokyo. The prize includes a certificate, a trophy, and a cash prize of 20 million yen (about US$ 125,000).
According to the Foundation, Piyãko has distinguished himself by advocating for the protection of the Amazon rainforest and indigenous communities over the past 15 years.
Through the creation of the Yorenka Tasorentsi Institute, which promotes a sustainable land management model, and the Indigenous Ayahuasca Conference to give indigenous peoples a voice in the transmission of their spiritual practices, he has advanced environmental education, reforestation, and ecosystem recovery programmes, primarily involving young people and local communities.
His initiatives have contributed to slowing deforestation and to the preservation of biodiversity in the Apiwtxa Indigenous Territory, in the Amazon region of the Brazilian state of Acre, near the border with Peru.
A promoter of indigenous spirituality and intercultural dialogue, Piyãko has over the years become a voice capable of influencing national and international environmental policy, according to the committee.
The Niwano Peace Foundation also noted that the Ashaninka leader is "an exemplary figure" because his work combines the protection of nature with the preservation of indigenous culture and spirituality, reminding humanity of the deep connection between the Earth and humans.
The Niwano Peace Prize is one of the leading international awards dedicated to the promotion of peace through interreligious cooperation. It was established in 1983 by the Niwano Peace Foundation, an organisation founded in 1978 with the aim of promoting dialogue between religions and a culture of peace.
The award commemorates Nikkyo Niwano, founder of a lay Buddhist organisation, Rissho Kosei-kai, for whom peace was not merely the absence of conflict between nations, but an environment that also takes into account the inner life of people and the bonds within communities.
Over the years, the award has been given to religious leaders, activists, and organisations dedicated to reconciliation and the defence of human rights, including the Community of Sant'Egidio, honoured in 1999 for its commitment to conflict mediation and the promotion of interfaith dialogue.
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