The 37th Niwano Peace Prize shall be given to Zen Master, the Venerable Pomnyun of a South Korean Buddhist organization, Jungto Society in recognition of his extraordinary humanitarian work, environmental and social activism, and his inspiring effort to build relationships of trust and goodwill between those of different faiths and cultures as a central component of his work for peace. Venerable Pomnyun’s work serves as a poignant illustration of the Buddhist ideals that inspire it.
The presentation ceremony will take place in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, June 3rd, at 10:30 a.m. In addition to an award certificate, Venerable Pomnyun will receive a medal and twenty million yen.
To avoid undue emphasis on any particular religion or region, every year the Peace Foundation solicits nominations from people of recognized intellectual and religious stature around the world. In the nomination process, some 600 people and organizations, representing 125 countries and many religions, are asked to propose candidates. Nominations are rigorously screened by the Niwano Peace Prize Committee, which was set up in May of 2003 on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Niwano Peace Prize. The Committee presently consists of seven religious leaders from various parts of the world, all of whom are involved in movements for peace and inter-religious cooperation.