The annual Peace Awards from Sacramento State’s Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution (CAPCR) were held on April 23, 2016. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Awards honor Africa and Diaspora Peace Heroes who have demonstrated a profound commitment to serve the community and promote peace in society. This year’s honorees were Pastor James Wuye and Imam Muhammad Ashafa, of the Interfaith Mediation Center, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Imam Ashafa and Pastor James are a peacemaking duo who began their relationship as enemies. Their incredible story of reconciliation can be viewed in the film The Imam & the Pastor [1]. Since their reconciliation they have travelled throughout Africa and the world sharing their story and acting as mediators in intense conflict situations. A piece of their work can be seen in An African Answer [2], which shares how they helped transform tense relations in local Kenyan communities

The Africa Peace Awards Dinner featured keynote speaker His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,  the past president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Imam Ashafa and Pastor James also spoke at the 25th Annual Africa/Diaspora Conference on April 21, 2016. They ran workshops on Mediating Violent Extremism for CSU Sacramento Students.