2020/2021 Outstanding Peace Activist

Dr. William Vendley is the Secretary General Emeritus of Religions for Peace International, the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition advancing common action for peace. He works to promote multi-religious consensus on the positive aspects of peace, as well as concrete actions to stop war, eliminate extreme poverty, and protect the Earth. He is a pioneer in advancing multi-religious cooperation to help resolve conflicts and advance development, having facilitated the establishment of multi-religious councils around the world. He has championed multi-religious efforts to prevent conflicts, mediate among warring parties, and heal societies in the aftermath of violence in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Liberia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Iraq, and many other countries. He is convinced that multi-religious efforts for peacemaking provide unique strengths that complement those marshaled by governments and organizations like the United Nations.