Former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria was among global dignitaries who received prizes as the Universal Peace Federation honoured distinguished individuals at the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize during their 2025 World Summit which held on April 11 in Seoul, South Korea.
This biennial prize honours individuals or organisations that have made significant contributions to world peace, sustainable human development, and international cooperation.

Meanwhile, among those honoured with the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize Laureates are Patrick Awuah Jr. (Ghana). He is the Founder and President of Ashesi University. Patrick Awuah has transformed higher education in Africa by emphasising ethical leadership and innovation. His university boasts a 90% graduate employment rate and gender parity among students.

Also honoured was Hugh Evans (Australia), the co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen. Hugh Evans has mobilised $43.6 billion to fight poverty and promote global development. His work has
improved access to healthcare, education, and other essential services for over 1.3 billion people.

There was also Wanjira Mathai (Kenya), the Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute. Wanjira Mathai is a prominent leader in the Green Belt Movement. She has led the planting of 51 million trees and spearheads the AFR100 initiative, which aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in Africa by 2030.

Xanana Gusmão of Timor-Leste, honoured with the Founder’s Prize, is the first President and current Prime Minister of Timor-Leste. Xanana Gusmão was honored for his role in his country’s fight for independence and his efforts to promote peace and international solidarity, particularly
through initiatives like the g7+, which fosters cooperation among fragile  states. Each laureate received a $200,000 award, a medal, and a commemorative plaque.
The prize committee is chaired by José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission. Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was awarded the Founder’s Prize of the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize, becoming the first African leader and the third recipient of this distinction after Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary General, and Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia.

Prophet Samuel Radebe, also known as Imboni uZwi-Lezwe Radebe, was honored with the Founder’s Prize of the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize. Hailing from South Africa, he is recognised for his commitment to interfaith harmony and
community peace across the African continent.

The 2025 World Summit of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) was recently held in Seoul, South Korea. This event brought together political leaders, parliamentarians, religious leaders, and civil society representatives from around the world to promote sustainable peace based on interreligious, interethnic, and inter-parliamentary dialogue.

The summit aimed to establish an international coalition for lasting peace, focusing on interreligious, interethnic, and inter-parliamentary principles. A major highlight was the creation of the “International Conference of Parliamentary Speakers,” intended to enhance cooperation and dialogue among parliamentary leaders worldwide.

Among the participants were former Senegalese President Macky Sall, who attended the Sunhak Peace Prize award ceremony, and Justin Tokely from Madagascar, who emphasised the importance of solidarity and global values in achieving peace. The President of the Senate of Burundi, Emmanuel Sinzohagera, also took part in the inaugural inter-parliamentary conference of
parliamentary speakers.

The summit featured initiatives such as the collective signing of an International Security Charter, a symbolic act to reinforce commitments to peace. Couples transcending national and racial boundaries were united and
invested with a global peace mission.

The 2025 UPF World Summit served as a major platform for dialogue and international cooperation in the pursuit of peace. The initiatives launched and commitments made during this event reflect a shared determination to build a more peaceful and united world.

As part of the 2025 World Summit organised by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in South Korea, a marriage blessing festival was held. This
event, called the Hyojeong Cosmic Blessing, took place on April 12, 2025, at the Cheongshim Peace World Center, as part of the Cheon Il Festival.

On April 12, at Cheongshim Peace World Center, South Korea, over 5,000 couples, including newly wed, married couples renewed their vows in Holy wine ceremony, wedding blessing, and entrance into the Cheon Il Sanctum. The blessing symbolises the couples’ commitment to spiritual values and the building of a lasting world peace.
It is seen as a sacred moment of spiritual
renewal, bringing together participants from diverse cultures and nations.
The official entrance into Cheon Won Gung Palace took place on April 13, 2025, in Gapyeong, South Korea. This landmark event was part of the 2025 Cheon Il Festival, organised by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), and brought together participants from around the world to celebrate the inauguration of this sacred site.

Cheon Won Gung is envisioned as the “universal home of God,” a place where the Heavenly Parent can dwell among His children on Earth. It embodies a vision of a peaceful world centered on love, interdependence, and mutual
prosperity. The main sanctuary, called Cheon Il Sanctum, is meant to become the spiritual heart of the Unification movement, symbolising the fulfillment of divine providence and the establishment of God’s kingdom on Earth.

The entrance ceremony was preceded by a series of commemorative events from April 10 to 15, 2025, including special prayers, exhibitions on the lives of the “True Parents,” and spiritual pilgrimages. Representatives from various
countries attended, highlighting its global significance.