Niwano Peace Prize

Niwano Peace Prize is given to honor and encourage those who are devoting themselves to interreligious cooperation in the cause of peace,and to make their achievements known. The Foundation hopes that the prize will further promote interreligious cooperation for peace and lead to the emergence of ever more people devoting themselves to this cause.

The award is given annually and consists of a certificate, Gold Medal and an amount of 20 million Yen (roughly USD$210,000).

The screening committee which decided the award is made up of religious leaders of international stature selects the recipient from among candidates nominated by religious leaders and other persons of intellectual stature around the world.

The Tokyo based Niwano Peace Foundation was initiated by the Japanese citizen Nikkyo Niwano, founder of the buddhist lay organisation Rissho Kosei Kai; he was one of the few non-Christian observers of the Second Vatican Council. His son Nichiko Niwano is his successor as chairman of the movement, which is dedicated to the interreligious dialogue.