A British vaccinologist and a global vaccine alliance were honored with the Sunhak Peace Prize on Saturday for their work combating the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen also received the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee’s Special Founder’s Award for his decades of public service following his country’s civil war.
The annual peace prize awards were announced by Hak Ja Han Moon, widow of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, during the Universal Peace Federation’s “World Summit 2022” event over the weekend. The UPF recognized Dame Professor Sarah Catherine Gilbert of Oxford University for her key role in designing the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The organization also honored Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, for its work distributing over 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines to more than 140 countries.
“We can now look forward to our lives going back to normal,” Ms. Gilbert said in a UPF press release, expressing optimism that vaccines ultimately will help the world emerge from the two-year pandemic.
Gavi CEO Dr. Seth Berkley said his organization has made it a priority to ensure that all countries, especially across the developing world, have access to vaccines. The goal, he said, was “an equal chance for a healthy future.”
The winners received a medal, plaque and a cash prize.
In addition to Saturday’s awards announcement, World Summit 2022 brought together heads of state, former U.S. officials and a host of other dignitaries both virtually and at an in-person program in Seoul. The rally was created to promote world peace and mobilize hope behind efforts to end the North Korean nuclear crisis and the decades-old divisive conflict between North and South Korea.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Vice President Mike Pence and other officials addressed the summit in Seoul. Former President Trump, among others, delivered prerecorded video addresses.
The biennial Sunhak Peace Prize was founded in 2013 by Mrs. Moon, the leader of the Unification movement that arose from the Unification Church founded by Rev. Moon in 1954.
Rev. Moon’s ministry grew from a tiny, embattled church in his native South Korea to a global spiritual movement and an affiliated commercial empire comprising real estate, manufacturing and agricultural operations, and media properties including The Washington Times.
Global peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula are central themes at UPF events. In accepting his Founder’s Special Award over the weekend, Mr. Hun Sen paid tribute to those themes.
“Some may take peace for granted, but those who have lived through war know how precious peace is,” he said.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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