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 Message from the IBAKWE group

2015 Public Peace Prize Laureate in the Solidarity Peace Group category

In the SOLIDARITY PEACE GROUP category, the laureate is the Rwandan group IBAKWE who collected 58 % of public support (and nearly double the minimum points required to become a finalist in this category).

Audacious, courageous and quick best describes the members of this association who work with genocide survivors in Rwanda. Survivors themselves, they train “peace couples” who then train their families to become peaceful people.  Even though they belong to once-opposed ethnic groups, by focusing on innate human strengths and using love as a driving forces, they are building peace bridges across their once-divided country.

To you, sisters and brothers around the world,

During this holiday period, we reach out our hands to you, that together, we may let the love in our hearts spring forth sparks of goodness, of love and of brotherhood to bring to our planet a solid and lasting peace that gives everyone dignity and a love for life.

Wishing peace for everyone means wishing it for all of humanity as we are all brothers and sisters. We all possess peace deep within us like a hidden treasure, and may the peace brought on during the holidays lead to the lasting peace we so desire.  Ibakwe brings forth the strengths that lead to peace. In this New Year, we wish that every human being may know and let grow the peace that already lives within him or her. 

AMAHORO (which means PEACE)    

– The members of Ibakwe