Religions for Peace Announces Recipients of the 2025 Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award

Religions for Peace, the world’s largest and most representative multi-faith organisation, is delighted to announce the 2025 recipients of the Women of Excellence in Multi-Religious Action Award: Madame Cissé Hadja Mariama Sow of Guinea; Grandmother Marie-Josée Tardif of Canada; and Ms. Nageeba Hassan Tegulwa of Uganda.

READ more about the award here

The recipients were chosen from 10 finalists, which a review committee had identified from a broad pool of nominees; a panel of distinguished judges then made final selections.

“We received inspiring nominations from across the globe,” said Rev. Doyeon Park, president of the Buddhist Council of New York and a member of the selection committee. “The selection committee carefully reflected on their work and especially their deep engagement with local communities, their ability to build bridges across faiths, their creativity and their contributions to interfaith understanding and social cohesion.

“And what touched us most throughout this whole process was seeing the depth of commitment and compassion reflected in their work, which is often carried out quietly yet with profound impact in their communities.”

The caliber of the 2025 finalists reflects a global movement of women who are not only dismantling barriers but building a more inclusive future with unmatched excellence and dedication. Religions for Peace received nominations following an open call; a reviewing committee with members of diverse faith traditions identified the finalists; and the selection committee chose from among the finalists.

Established in 2023, the Award celebrates the vital role women of faith play in addressing complex social challenges. Following the success of the inaugural 2024 cycle, the 2025 cohort of winners continues the legacy of transformative leadership.

Honouring Our 2025 Award Winners

The 2025 recipients were selected for their profound impact on community resilience and their work in dismantling harmful social norms:

• Madame Cissé Hadja Mariama Sow (Guinea): A formidable advocate for women of faith in Guinea and across West Africa, as well as Honorary Co-President of Religions for Peace, recognized for her lifelong dedication to social and gender transformation.
• Grandmother Marie-Josée Tardif (Canada): Co-Founder of the Dominique Rankin Foundation, honoured for her work in Indigenous reconciliation and fostering multi-religious harmony.
• Ms. Nageeba Hassan Tegulwa (Uganda): A key leader within the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, recognized for her grassroots action in protecting the rights of women and children.

A Distinguished Global Selection Committee

The difficult task of selecting this year’s winners fell to a distinguished Award Selection Committee, comprised of world-class leaders across the Buddhist, Catholic and Islamic traditions. Their diverse expertise ensured a rigorous and holistic evaluation of each nominee’s impact.

The committee included Professor Amany Lubis, a pioneering scholar of Mandailing-Egyptian descent and the first woman to serve as Chancellor of Indonesia’s largest Islamic University, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta. A former Chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council for Women, Youth and Families, Professor Lubis brought her deep experience in Islamic scholarship and academic leadership to the selection process.

Joining her was Rev. Park, a Gyomunim and minister of the Manhattan Won Buddhist Temple. As the President of the Buddhist Council of New York and co-chair of the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, Rev. Park’s commitment to awakening inner wisdom and fostering interconnectedness provided a vital spiritual lens to the committee’s deliberations.

The committee’s administrative and organizational rigour was further strengthened by Father Eric Iván García Concepción, Assistant Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM). With a background in Business Administration and Nonprofit Organization Management alongside his theological training, Fr. García’s career has been marked by a solid professional experience in non-profit management and a dedicated service to youth ministry in Puerto Rico and across Latin America.

Recognising the Inaugural 2024 Winners

We continue to celebrate the pioneering work of our inaugural 2024 awardees, whose leadership set the standard for this global recognition:

• Dr. Kezevino Aram (India): Co-Moderator, Religions for Peace; President, Shanti Ashram.
• Professor Dr. Nayla Tabbara (Lebanon): Co-President, Religions for Peace; Co-Founder, Adyan Foundation.
• Rev. Sr. Agatha Ogochukwu Chikelue (Nigeria): Chair, Religions for Peace IWCC; Executive Director, Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP).