Boniface Mwangi wins 2020 Luxembourg Peace Prize
By Hilary KimuyuActivist Boniface Mwangi will be awarded the 2020 outstanding Youth Peace Maker Prize during the Luxembourg Peace Prize Ceremony on May 28, 2021, at the University of Luxembourg.
The Schengen Peace Foundation in partnership with the World Peace Forum will award the Luxembourg Peace Prize to outstanding peacemakers all over the world, Mwangi included.
Approximately eight to 12 awards are given every year to organisations and individuals in categories ranging from peace activists to environmental peace.
Mwangi was chosen because of his outspoken activism against injustices in Kenya. He joined activism after documenting the 2007-08 post-election violence as a photojournalist for the Standard newspaper.
He is also the co-founder of Pawa-254, which he runs with his wife Njeri Mwangi.
“At 36, Boniface Mwangi has championed for justice and calling out powerful leaders for their corruption and violation of human rights. This has earned him friends and foes alike. His commitment to promote social change has also come at a heavy price. Like many Kenyans with a challenging upbringing where basic needs were not always met, Boniface Mwangi is all too familiar with the struggles of ordinary Kenyans,” the Luxembourg Prize said in a statement.
Thank you for your kind words good people. Nashukuru ?? Sana. Let’s work together to make Kenya more equal, just and humane.
— Boniface Mwangi (@bonifacemwangi) May 13, 2020
This is not the first time Mwangi has won an international award. He has won the CNN Multichoice Africa Journalist of the Year award two times while New African Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2014 and 2016.
In February 2013, Mwangi won the prestigious Prince Claus Award for or capturing striking photos of the 2007-08 chaos.
At 28, he became the youngest winner recipient of the prize from the Prince Claus Fund of the Kingdom of Netherlands.
He was Kenya’s top 40 under 40 men in 2016. He is also a senior Ted fellow, having given a speech on activism on Ted Talk Show.
Pawa-254 is a hub for creatives, where artistes can find innovative ways of achieving social change.