Building Bridges of Hope: The Peace Builder Award and the Power of Positive Peace
Every year, the Peace Museum Paris opens its doors to celebrate those who remind us that peace is not an abstract dream - it is something we can build together. The Peace Builder Award honors people whose courage and compassion bring harmony to communities divided by fear, conflict, or silence. These individuals remind us that peace begins with human connection, and that one person’s vision can ripple outward to inspire change across borders and hearts.
This year, the museum celebrates Shahd Ahmed of Sudan, whose quiet strength brings people together in her community and restores hope where it has been dimmed by hardship. We honor Jumagul Ahmadzai of Afghanistan, a steadfast peacemaker whose work rebuilds trust and understanding in places once torn by conflict. We recognize Nathanael Koehler, Sports Director at STCP, who uses the unifying power of sport to bridge cultures and nurture respect. We commend Chhaya Mathur Saint Ramon, whose wisdom and empathy illuminate a lifelong journey of teaching peace through compassion. And we cherish the Harada family, whose art, care for the environment, and unwavering kindness embody the beauty of living peacefully every day.
These honorees remind us that peace is not only the end of violence - it is the presence of something greater. It is justice, equality, and respect made visible in how we live and care for one another. This deeper understanding is what we call positive peace.
While negative peace simply means the absence of war, positive peace means building the systems, relationships, and values that sustain harmony. It means creating conditions where dignity, education, and opportunity replace fear and inequality. Positive peace asks us to look beyond treaties and ceasefires to the everyday acts of understanding, inclusion, and kindness that allow peace to last.
At the Peace Museum Paris, we believe peace must be seen, felt, and shared. The museum is not only a place of memory - it is a meeting point for peace builders, peace makers, and peace seekers from around the world. Here, ideas are exchanged, friendships are formed, and new peace projects are born. Every gathering sparks the next, each one adding another thread to the global fabric of peace.
Peace becomes visible when people come together - when a teacher listens, an artist paints, a child learns, or a neighbor forgives. That is why the Peace Builder Award is more than an honor; it is a reminder that peace is a living practice, built every day by ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
At the heart of the Peace Museum Paris beats a simple truth: peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of care. It grows through dialogue, compassion, and the courage to imagine a kinder world. From these shared moments of understanding, a brighter, more peaceful future is born - one story, one action, one connection at a time.
