Finnish Peace Prize awarded to Antti Pentikäinen

“Those who are harming need to be invited to renew their humanity. That is much harder than achieving a pendulum shift.”

 – Antti Pentikäinen.

At the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation (MHCR), we are honored to celebrate one of our own, Professor Antti Pentikäinen, who has been awarded the 2025 Finnish Christian Peace Movement (SKR) Peace Prize. This recognition is a testament to his lifelong dedication to peacebuilding, reconciliation, and truth-seeking processes that have left a profound impact on communities worldwide. 

A Legacy of Peacebuilding 

Antti Pentikäinen's career spans decades of committed peace work, both in Finland and internationally. Currently, he leads initiatives focused on truth and reconciliation at MHCR, part of George Mason University's Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Arlington, VA. His efforts have been instrumental in shaping frameworks for addressing historical injustices and fostering healing within divided communities. 

Before Joe Biden's presidency, Antti served as Secretary of a diverse group tasked with preparing a Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Commission (TRHT) for the United States. Antti emphasized then how a healing process would be needed for a divided country. However, Pentikäinen says that the process never got underway, due to internal differences of opinion among African Americans. 

“The situation has become even more divided in the U.S. since then. This only highlights how difficult it is to maintain democracy and the rule of law if one is not prepared to face the past,” Pentikäinen reflects. He further asserts that the internal division in "the United States is rooted already in its founding, a lie of white supremacy—a fact that has never been fully acknowledged or confronted." 

In the picture hosting a discussion on trauma with Kaltuma Noorow in a recent meeting organized by the U.N. Office of Prevention of Genocide held in Kigali

Deep Peace Ahead of a Major Transformation 

As the world faces escalating conflicts, from the war in Ukraine to the resurgence of global culture wars, Antti remains committed to fostering transformative change. He acknowledges that "there will be a pendulum shift to this era, too," but stresses that what will eventually be much more important and harder is to imagine and create a process that would invite also those who cause harm to rediscover their humanity. 

"We need a process in which those who cause harm can discover and renew their own humanity. It is difficult to force people to do so. That's why racial justice has not been won by struggle and this will be the main challenge in the next phase," Antti explains. 

Antti has embraced the indigenous philosophy of working from a seven-generation perspective, recognizing that today’s actions will have lasting impacts on future generations. "Not everything that is started can, nor does it have to be completed. But what is done now can have a huge impact on future generations." 

"I have recently found deep peace in many things that previously troubled me. Because of this, I feel more free and understand myself and the world better. Many things I have experienced could have turned into lifelong trauma, but they did not. I am extremely grateful for the Divine guidance in this." 

Long-time Peacemaker 

Antti Pentikäinen, 52, has held numerous influential roles throughout his career. He has worked with the CMI conflict resolution organization founded by former Finland President Martti Ahtisaari, launched Finn Church Aid’s peace work, and directed conflict prevention programs at Religions for Peace. In 2013, Antti initiated the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, a testament to his vision for inclusive and sustainable peacebuilding. 

At MHCR, Antti continues to lead groundbreaking research and development of truth and reconciliation processes, inspiring both colleagues and students with his dedication and wisdom. 

For all of us at MHCR, celebrating Antti’s recognition is a moment of immense pride. It reflects the values we hold dear and reaffirms our commitment to fostering peace and reconciliation worldwide. This award is not just a recognition of Antti’s achievements, it is a celebration of the calling MHCR has to help our communities and societies heal, and this is needed now, perhaps more than ever. Congratulations, Antti, on this well-deserved honor! 

This announcement was edited based on original news by Taneli Kylätasku on January 9, 2025. You can read the full article here.

Binalakshmi “Bina” Nepram named as Insider Reconciler Fellow

Washington DC, 28 January 2025

Binalakshmi “Bina” Nepram named as Insider Reconciler Fellow at Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliations (MHCR) at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University.

Photo of Binalakshmi Nepram meeting with President Carter in 2016 at the Oslo Forum in Norway. Here, President Carter is wearing a special woven cloth called “Leiroom” that women of Manipur made.

“80% of the world’s conflicts happen where Indigenous Peoples live and in areas, which are also biodiversity hotspots. That is why we need to involve indigenous peacebuilders, mediators and healers better in conflict resolution and other peace processes. Indigenous methods are therefore very also closely linked to resolving ongoing armed conflicts and environmental violence, resource and land conflicts and help in healing Peoples, Peace and Planet ”, says Binalakshmi “Bina” Nepram, who has named as the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliations (MHCR) newest Insider Reconciler Fellow.

Nepram, originally from Manipur, Northeast India bordering Myanmar is an Indigenous Scholar who has been named as one of the “100 most influential people in the world working on armed violence reduction” by London based, Action on Armed Violence. Nepram has been most recently leading Indigenous Peoples work at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) as Senior Adviser on Indigenous Issues where she worked with 120 Indigenous Peacebuilders from seven socio-cultural Indigenous regions of the world in April 2024 for the historic First Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding in Washington D.C. The historic summit was opened by former Secretary of Interiors, Debra Haaland and it led to an International Declaration on Indigenous Peacebuilding adopted and signed by several Indigenous Leaders, Elders, women and Youth from over 30 countries.

“Nepram’s role in creating the magnificent event was central. It was her idea, and Indigenous Peoples came from all over the world, because they knew and trusted her. We want to recognize her role and invite also other institutions to support this very critical, and previously missing part of peace mediation efforts”, says Antti Pentikäinen, who leads MHCR and is also Professor of Practice at Carter School, George Mason University (GMU), where MHCR is based.

“Our aim is also to connect Indigenous students from GMU with Nepram’s efforts and support convening the Indigenous peacebuilders and Indigenous peacebuilding work as well as the research she is planning to do on Indigenous Conflict Resolution practices,” shares Pentikainen.

Looking Back at Peace Week! “New From MHCR: Healing Centered Research and Practice”

On September 23rd, 2024, the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation (MHCR) hosted a thought-provoking discussion on Healing-Centered Approaches to Peacebuilding and Reconciliation (HCPR) as part of Fall Peace Week. We brought together scholars, practitioners, and students to discuss how healing-centered frameworks address trauma, foster resilience, and hold promise for cultivating sustainable peace across intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and structural levels of change.

The discussion featured our esteemed panel of experts:

Antti Pentikäinen:

Director of MHCR and Executive Director of Think Peace Learning and Support Hub

Rowda Olad:

Associate Director of MHCR and Founder of Maandeeq Mental Health Without Borders

Leo Hylton:

Transformation and Reconciliation Lab Manager at MHCR

Deborah Sachare:

Impact Manager at MHCR

The session delved into three core frameworks that guide MHCR’s work including healing-centered engagement, healing-centered peacebuilding, and the wounded healer. These concepts shift from traditional trauma-informed care by emphasizing forward-looking solutions rooted in identity and community by integrating inclusion, contextualization, systems thinking, trauma-informed tools, and breaking cycles of violence in the work.

A significant focus of the event was the role of insider reconcilers (InRec)—local peacebuilders who are connected to one or more parties in conflict working within conflict zones to bridge divides and foster understanding. While these individuals are uniquely positioned to facilitate reconciliation, they often face immense mental and emotional challenges as they work without sufficient material support. The panel underscored the importance of supporting their well-being through psychoeducation, mindfulness practices, and culturally grounded approaches. These tools, combined with systems-level support, are essential for breaking cycles of harm and building sustainable peace.

Practical takeaways from the session included the importance of cultural sensitivity in peacebuilding, the integration of spiritual and ritual practices into reconciliation processes, and the need to address systemic trauma to prevent recurring cycles of violence. Panelist Rowda Olad highlighted her work in Somalia, where mental health advocacy and psychoeducation are tailored to fit local customs, demonstrating how healing-centered frameworks must adapt to the cultural context of each community.

Looking ahead, MHCR’s initiatives are focused on establishing a research foundation for HCPR, beginning with a comprehensive literature review and data analysis from the Insider Reconciler (InRec) study, the development of co-creation workshops to bring together scholars and practitioners, and ongoing collaborations with the Carter School Working Group on Forgiveness and Reconciliation (WGFR). These efforts aim to deepen our understanding of healing-centered practices and foster innovation in peacebuilding and reconciliation.

The session concluded with a call to collective reflection, exploration, and action:

How can we replicate the relational, processual, and structural elements of healing-centered approaches across diverse contexts while honoring local knowledge and leadership? 

This question will guide MHCR’s future work as we continue to champion resilience, inclusivity, and healing at every stage of peacebuilding and reconciliation processes.

YouTube recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW1K2Ax_ZDk