The following blog article is the second of a 3-part series about WFM-C's 2026 World Peace Award.

The World Peace Award: The Canadians Who Shaped Its Legacy

Since 1972, the World Peace Award has honoured Canadians whose leadership has advanced peace, justice and international cooperation. Over more than five decades, its recipients have demonstrated the many different ways individuals can contribute to building a more peaceful, just and rules-based world.

The award’s history includes Canadians whose contributions span diplomacy, human rights, humanitarian service, reconciliation and international justice. Its first recipient, Lester B. Pearson, was recognized in 1972 following a distinguished career in diplomacy and public service that included receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. In the decades since, the award has continued to recognize Canadians whose work has made a lasting impact at home and around the world.

Among them are Louise Arbour, an internationally respected jurist and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire, whose humanitarian leadership has become inseparable from global conversations about the protection of civilians; Lloyd Axworthy, whose career in public service included significant work in Canadian foreign affairs; and Murray Sinclair, whose leadership of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission helped advance reconciliation and justice in Canada.

While their fields and contributions differ, these recipients share a commitment to principles at the heart of the World Peace Award: the pursuit of peace, justice, human rights and international cooperation. Together, they form part of a legacy that continues to inspire.

More than 50 years after the award was established, WFM-Canada is proud to continue that tradition by honouring another exceptional Canadian in 2026.

In Part 3 of this series, we introduce the 2026 World Peace Award recipient and explore how their work carries this remarkable legacy forward.