Tolstoy Peace Prize Awarded to the African Union, by Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

First-ever Leo Tolstoy Peace Prize was awarded to African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat by Jury President and Bolshoi Theater Director Valery Gergiev in a modest and memorable ceremony September 9th in Moscow. The International Tolstoy Peace Prize Foundation dedicated its first edition to Africa by making the African Union the first recipient of the Lev Nikolaievitch Tolstoy Peace Prize.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the jury, high-profile public persons of the Russian Federation, international guests, ambassadors of the Prize, scientists, diplomats, parliamentarians, famous cultural professionals, as well as international students studying in the Russian Federation.

The ceremony was declared open by the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy. He read out a greeting from the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, which stated, in part:

“I consider your project to be an important and demanded initiative designed to help consolidate the international community around the noble ideas of maintaining global peace and security, protection of human rights and freedoms, formation of the new just multipolar world order based on the principles of sovereign equality and respect for each other’s legitimate interests, the rule of international law.”

Then the floor was taken by Pierre de Gaulle, Member of the Jury, prominent public figure, grandson of the former President of France Charles de Gaulle. He highlighted the significance of the Prize and its role in uniting a peaceful public, creating a safe and just multipolar world, and humanizing relations between countries and people.

Valery Gergiev, Chairman of the Jury, Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Director General of the Bolshoi Theatre, People’s Artist of Russia, announced the winner. The Prize was awarded to the African Union. This decision was taken in view of the crucial role that this influential international organization, which brings together all the states of the African continent, plays in addressing topical issues at the global level.

“Thanks to the efforts of this authoritative international association, aimed at promoting unity and solidarity among African states, defending their national sovereignty, maintaining peace and security on the continent, the mechanisms have been put in place to respond collectively to local crisis situations. Various formats of the regional integration process have been launched, contributing to the social and economic development of Africa, numerous social, cultural, educational, and other programs and initiatives are being implemented, primarily addressed to young people,” said Valery Gergiev during the ceremony.

Mahamat was awarded the International Peace Prize laureate diploma and the custom-engraved gold medal with the image of Leo Tolstoy. The medal’s unique design was developed by the employees of the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize Foundation. Its front side has a portrait image of Leo Tolstoy and his autograph, on the reverse side the name of the laureate organization and the year of awarding are applied. Both the portrait and the writer’s autograph were chosen by his descendants. The diameter of the medal is 65 mm, its weight is 247.9 g. The medal is manufactured by the Moscow Mint from 585 gold with the gilding from 99.9 gold.

Receiving the prize at Bolshoi Theater, the African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, thanked the organizers for having placed the African Union on the podium of excellence through his modest person, and retracing the life of the illustrious Tolstoy who, “throughout his existence, sought to reconcile human nature with the deadly flaws of societies built on power and force. He thus inscribed himself for eternity in the immortal lineage of great minds such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.”

Moussa Mahamat further stressed that “the honour bestowed here today on the African Union is first and foremost on its peoples, its elites, its writers whose pens soaked in the tears and blood of past pains, continue to trace the paths of its future promoter.”

He noted that “it is from the sources of the original African values ​​and those, fundamental, stated by Tolstoy in his time, that the African Union, following the United Nations, drew inspiration for the normative base of its Peace and Security Architecture. This Architecture nourishes the ardent and tenacious ambition to give substance to a collective, operational security, crowned by a lasting peace in Africa, with the deepest impact on global peace.”

Bolshoi Theater Director Valery Gergiev noted that September 9 would now be doubly significant in the historiography of the African Union as the great day of reception of the Tolstoy Peace Prize. The prize is awarded for outstanding achievements aimed at countering the threat of a third world war and preventing a nuclear catastrophe. It recognizes significant achievements in the field of demilitarization, democratization and humanization of international relations based on generally accepted norms of morality and law.

The Prize is awarded by an international jury formed by the founders of the L.N. Tolstoy International Peace Prize Foundation. The Jury consists of both Russians and foreign citizens who have a broad international recognition and authority. On June 22, 2022, the Russian Historical Society, the Russian Peace Foundation, the Russian Military Historical Society established the Tolstoy International Peace Prize Foundation.