Sadat was awarded for being a great example for young people in the Slum Communities of Uganda, and beyond, and for the courage he demonstrated by leaving behind a life of crime and gang violence to become a pioneer of peace and youth development across the slums of Kampala.

Born in 1992 in Wange, Mayom County in the present-day South Sudan, Simon was forced to flee following the conflict that had erupted in the country. Aged 8 years, he walked for 21 days and nights from Unity State in Upper Nile through Warrap and lake States in Bhar El Ghazal.

He arrived in Keri Transit camp, Northern Uganda on 9th September 2000. He could have given up, but he didn’t, he pressed on with purpose and hope. As co-founder of the African Youth Action Network (AYAN), Simon continues to find time within his busy schedule to advance and advocate for the welfare of refugee youth and IDPs, and those back home in South Sudan. We celebrate his courage, commitment, consistency, and impact.

Jolly was born in a remote village in Awere village, Odek Sub- County, Omoro district in Northern Uganda. As a child, she grew up in the same village as Joseph Kony.

In 1986, as a teenager, while walking the 10-mile journey home from school, she was abducted by a group of rebels. This was her introduction to the rebel group that was then called the Holy Spirit Movement. The rebel group would later come to be known as the LRA - the Lord’s Resistance Army.

They held her captive for the next two years during which she was forced to fight, steal from her community at gunpoint and was repeatedly raped by the commanders. Yet despite these horrific circumstances, she never gave up and was determined to make it back to her family one day, and she did.

Jolly later dedicated her life to working with communities affected by LRA violence. She worked with organisations such as Oxfam, MSF, InterAid, UNHCR and founded HEALS - an organisation focused on providing “play therapy” for children who were night commuters (children who would walk miles to avoid being abducted by the LRA.) Because of her work with HEALS, in 2005, she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Around that time, she was introduced to the filmmakers of Invisible Children, and took on the role as the Director of Invisible Children Uganda. As a director, she helped develop many successful programmes - one of which included the Legacy Scholarship programme, where the organisation put 4,800 children through school. Currently, she is the CEO of WEND, a socially minded fashion company that employs and empowers women formerly affected by the war in Northern Uganda. For this, we salute and celebrate her.

With 145 years of history and members across the globe, Mothers Union was founded by Mary Sumner as a network that supports mothers of all kinds as they bring up their children in the Christian faith.

With over 4 million members in 84 countries, Mothers Union projects are helping stop violence, poverty, injustice, and improving quality of life in families through parenting programs. In Uganda, Mothers Union initiatives have contributed toward improving household incomes, access to education, improving health and sanitation and increasing women’s voices in decision making.

We are specially celebrating Mothers Union - Namirembe Diocese for its outstanding commitment toward mainstreaming peace in its day-to-day programming.

The family is central in educating children for peace, and we are confident that Mothers Union work will inspire other religious actors to strengthen the role of the family institution in peacebuilding. We congratulate Mothers Union on this award.

Ochen started a Peace Club at the age of 13 while living in an Internally Displaced Persons camp, bravely leading the anti-child soldier recruitment campaign amidst the war in Northern Uganda.

He also founded an NGO dedicated to the relentless pursuit of creative programmes geared towards advancing the psychological, physical, social and economic wellness of war victims. He is a game changer and trailblazer worth emulating. We salute him for his distinguished contribution and thank him for helping build a safer country and continent.

For over 71 years Missionaries of Charity has dedicated itself to service of the poor and most vulnerable around the world. Founded by Saint Teresa of Calcutta in 1950, the group is serving in over 139 countries and territories in 760 homes.

In Uganda, the mission operates under the name Missionaries of Charity Convent Namugongo. It cares for refugees, former prostitutes, the mentally ill, sick children, abandoned children, lepers, people with AIDS, and the aged. In the words of Mother Teresa, the group focuses on people that have become a burden to society, and are shunned by everyone.

We celebrate their selflessness, sacrifices, commitment and contribution, and congratulate them upon achieving a well-deserved award.

It is said that it doesn’t matter who wins the war, children are always the losers, and their lost childhood never comes back. Armed conflict affects children in unprecedented ways. Children affected by war have an increased prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and anxiety, limiting their ability to live their full potential.

From supporting Uganda’s children in the aftermath of the 1981-1986 guerrilla war that ushered this government into power, to decades of service to children and families in Northern Uganda during and after the LRA insurgency, and now their work with refugee children in Uganda, World Vision’s contribution has been sustained and distinguished.

For striving to ensure children get the help they need to live fulfilled and productive lives, the organisation’s work has very direct implications on the world’s sustainable development agenda, including SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

While the role of humour in peacebuilding and advancement of peace has not yet been fully explored, we can all agree that laughter is irresistibly contagious and makes us forget our troubles even if momentarily.

Through themed comedy, Merry Heart offers edutainment to vulnerable youths, inspiring them to act peacefully in the process of transforming their lives, going about it with smiling confidence.

We celebrate them for their commitment to peace, and the creation of more peaceful communities.

The constitution of Uganda provides that no person shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment. Yet despite this, both state and non-state actors continue to use torture as a form of punishment, violating rule of law as well as the human rights of victims.

Given its sensitive nature especially when it comes to torture perpetrated by state institutions, many government and civil society actors have chosen to avoid the subject altogether leaving victims stranded, traumatised and hopeless.

We salute The African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims for its courage, dedication, and commitment to supporting torture victims in Uganda and beyond. We also specially appreciate them for risking their institutional and personal safety in helping promote closure, healing and hope.

Communities around the globe are constantly being ravaged by war, displaced and plunged into foreign lands in search of refuge, and quite often left with broken hopes and dreams.

Through promoting peaceful co-existence, spiritual empowerment, sports-talent development and skills training, Ebenezer Global Hub has ignited the hope of its beneficiaries, giving them skills that can help them start over again.

We celebrate Ebenezer for their commitment, passion and relentless contribution to the welfare of refugees.

The Olive Branch Award is given to leaders that have demonstrated exceptional skill, commitment and results in mediation of complex local conflicts and disputes.

As we look back in our nation’s history to identify trailblazers and courageous peace builders whose life’s works can help inspire the next generation of peace builders, we find a great example in Dr. Zac for young people to emulate.

Whether it is through his active participation in the “Break the Silence” campaign which raised awareness of the problem of child soldiers and general abductions of the LRA, or acts of back door diplomacy as chairperson of the National Task Force for Peace and Conflict Transformation by the IRCU, he contributed to averting violence during defining moments in our nation’s political history.

The threat of religious extremism is real and well documented. Yet despite a few extremists instrumentalising religion to justify violent behaviour, religion is a significant factor in human identity that continues to be explored to advance peace. This is because of the trust that a number of people have in religious figures and institutions, and that religion often inspires perseverance in the face of major, otherwise debilitating obstacles.

We celebrate Bishop for being a living example of how religion, religious figures, and religious institutions can contribute to the cause of peace especially in the face of protracted conflicts. His courage and commitment to peace, justice and reconciliation is outstanding and a shining example for aspiring young peace builders to emulate.

Through lending his legal expertise to supporting vulnerable persons who suffer violations of their food rights, through lending his time and name to various food campaigns, and more recently in 2020 taking on the government of Uganda in court over the matter of access and availability of food especially to the most vulnerable, and reminding the government of the need to regulate and stabilise food prices during the Covid19 pandemic, David reminded us all that food remains a key ingredient to world peace. And as peacebuilders around the world reflect on the 2021 International day of peace theme of recovering better for a more equitable and sustainable world, there is no doubt that efforts and contributions like David’s are going to be very instrumental in offsetting the negative impact of the pandemic especially on the most vulnerable and in building more resilient communities.

We salute his efforts and congratulate him on achieving a well-deserved award.

The most Rev. John Baptist Odama has served as the Catholic Archbishop of Gulu since 1997, and the chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference since 2011. Yet despite being at the helm of a religious denomination that almost accounts for half of Uganda’s population, along with the enormous responsibilities that come with this, Bishop Odama has always found time to dedicate himself, lend his name as well as influence to the cause of peace for decades.

From serving as chairman of the Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative from 2002-2010 during a very defining moment of the LRA insurgency in Northern Uganda where he mobilised and led other faith leaders in helping bridge the government of Uganda and the LRA, to being part of the team that met with the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic advocating for regional governments to commit to measures like an amnesty framework and effective return and re-integration policies so that more abductees are encouraged to escape from the LRA.

Today in his continued dedication to regional peace and security, Bishop Odama has also weighed in on the conflict in South Sudan.

He has repeatedly cautioned regional governments against meddling in the affairs of South Sudan and urged religious leaders there to put up a unified voice to campaign persistently for peace. In his words he said; ‘They need to consistently go to the media to let their voices be heard, they must also go to the churches, mosques and all other places of worship.’ He has also urged political leaders of the country to uphold and respect the provisions of the peace treaties they sign. He noted that they should be honest to themselves and ask how long they will be divided and make the country suffer before peace can come.

We celebrate Archbishop Odama for his courage, for speaking truth to power, for his outstanding commitment to peace and for being a champion of interfaith cooperation in the pursuit of peace. He has taught us that irrespective of our religious differences, we can all work together to advance world peace. We congratulate him upon achieving a well-deserved award.