KATHMANDU: Rajendra Senchurey, a Nepali peace worker, was honoured with the “Books for Peace 2020” special award for his contribution to peacebuilding.

The prize was announced on 12 September at Academic Hall of the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia in Rome of Italy organised with the collaboration of associations from 61 countries.

Due to the travel restrictions imposed against the COVID-19 pandemic, Senchurey could not collect the certificate in person.

He has been sharing hisknowledge and experience about peacebuilding in most of the countries of South Asia and Europe.

His expertise in inter-faith/inter-religious harmony, civil resistance and nonviolence, preventing or countering violent extremism, post-conflict justice, as well as youth and marginalized peoples’ mainstreaming for sustainable peacebuilding, rendered him merits during the selection process.

Senchurey has dozens of newspaper articles to his credit as an independent contributor to the issues of peace and justice. The Australian Institute for Economics and Peace had also nominated him as an IEPS ambassador at the onset of the year 2020. The award is presented to an individual with substantial contributions in the areas of art, culture, peace and social sector.

Among the recipients of the award so far are Chief Reporter of America Diversity Report Debora Levin, Iranian-Armenian music practitioner Loris Technowarian, journalist and director of RAI-3 Franco De Mare, former footballer Damiyano Tomasi, actor cum director Febrijio Borni and Wikipedia chair Matte Rafoni, among others. As many as 21 prestigious institutions including governments, universities, non-profit organizations, European Union and UNESCO have recognized the award.