Nominate a peacemaker today!

Imagine… a more peaceful world forged by peacemakers working together across religious borders.

Tanenbaum Peacemaker in Action: Ephraim Isaac & Imam Muhammad Ashafa

Tanenbaum, an organization combatting religious prejudice, is committed to make this vision a reality. Tanenbaum’s Peacemaker in Action award recognizes religiously motivated men and women who put their lives at risk to advance peace in areas of armed conflict around the world.

In the past, the Peacemaker in Action award made its way, for instance, to Jose “Chencho” in El Salvador and Sakena Yacoobi in Afghanistan. Chencho began his career by promoting education and land reform for the peasants in his parish. As his nonviolent activism gained support in the countryside, he became unpopular among landowners who feared his influence. In January 1970, while attending a land reform conference, Chencho was abducted, beaten, and drugged, before being thrown out of a moving car. However, these setbacks did not deter him. On the contrary, Chencho Alas’ passion and willingness to bring peace to his country has continued until today.

In Afghanistan, Sakena Yacoobi has risked her life for more than twenty years in order to teach women and children. Her story is that of a woman of faith seeking to transform her country. In the face of a brutally oppressive Taliban regime, she secretly used the power of knowledge and education to raise women’s awareness on Islam. Sakena has always believed that if people had access to the verses themselves, they would see its underlying messages of peace, justice, and equality.

Tanenbaum analyses the work of these Peacemakers and their fellow awardees. These people are risking their lives every day to bridge the gap between their war-torn homelands and the diplomatic community. Their efforts provide evidence that religion is a force for resolving conflicts. Tanenbaum promotes the public face of peace-seeking religious leaders. We help them to have their voice heard louder, making it harder to deny their work.

Tanenbaum Peacemaker in Action: Imam Muhammad Ashafa from Nigeria and Shivi

Awardees who are named a Tanenbaum Peacemaker in Action receive a cash prize to strengthen their work on the ground. We create greater recognition of the Peacemaker’s work: we give them the space to promote their efforts to the public and together produce an in-depth case study. New awardees also join an extraordinary group of their peers, becoming a member of Tanenbaum’s Peacemakers in Action Network. Tanenbaum periodically convenes this Network so that members can learn from each other, build a unique community of peace-practitioners, and work together to benefit each other’s communities. Peace remains a community effort, not just within the local one but also across national, religious and ethnic borders .