Across the world thousands of people are taking a stand for peace. Local people are freeing child soldiers, negotiating peace between warring communities and rebuilding lives after years of war. These local peacebuilders are working in place outsiders can’t reach, and have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to build peace in the most deeply divided conflicts.
Yet despite the immeasurable contribution of local people to building peace, they receive little recognition. The humanitarian system is stacked in favour of large international organisations. In 2013 local organisations directly received just 0.2% of the money available for humanitarian aid.
Since Peace Direct was set up a decade ago, it’s been our mission to change this. To support and showcase the variety and scale of peacebuilding led by local people around the world.
Apply to the 2017 awards
Now in its fifth year, our Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders awards offer global recognition for grassroots peace activists in conflict affected countries all over the world.
These are the only global awards for local peacebuilders – inspiring individuals who are building a better tomorrow in the world’s most fragile places.
963 organisations from 91 countries entered in the first four years. Previous winners have demonstrated the range of innovative local approaches to peace – former fighters coming together for peace in Israel-Palestine, overcoming prejudice in the Philippines, showing co-existence is possible in Colombia, and much more.
Three grassroots organisations will each win a prize of $10,000 and online promotion of their work. The categories this year are:
- Women-led peacebuilding
- Youth-led peacebuilding
- Inter-religious peacebuilding
How to enter
Entries for the 2017 awards open on 12 July and close on 6 September 2017.
Entry forms and further details are online at www.peacedirect.org/tp.
For media and promotional enquiries, please contact Charlotte Fraser at charlotte.fraser@peacedirect.org
