Liberian Nobel Peace Laureate, Leymah Gbowee, Awarded 2018 Bonn International Democracy Prize

The 2018 Bonn International Democracy Prize has been awarded to Liberian activist and former Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Leymah Gbowee.

The winner of the prize was announced in October this year but the award ceremony took place last weekend.

Leymah Gbowee was on hand to pick up her award which comes with a mouth watering 10,000 Euros cash prize.

According to the organizers, the award is for her continuous struggle for the fundamental human rights of Liberians and championing women's rights worldwide. 

The Bonn International Democracy Prize was last awarded in 2016 and was won by another female, the Union Chief, Federica Mogherini, an Italian politician who served as High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy since November 2014 .

Leymah Gbowee is a leading African activist, women's advocate and the founder of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa. 

In her acceptance speech, she said she receives the prize “on behalf of all women seeking to create peace and change in their communities.”

You will recall that Leymah Gbowee jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize with former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Yemen’s Tawakkol Karman.

The Bonn International Democracy Prize is awarded at least once every two years to an individual that has contributed immensely to democracy and human rights in their home country, and it is an award which Leymah Gbowee greatly deserves.

In a brief, the organizers say the major goal of the Bonn International Democracy Prize is to create a link between the successful experiences in Germany and international development and democratization.

Congratulations to Leymah Gbowee and all African women!

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