Latin star will be honored for his dedication to youth empowerment and peace
PeaceTech Lab (PTL), the award-winning non-profit organization founded by the United States Institute of Peace, has announced that 26-time GRAMMY/Latin GRAMMY winner Juanes, will be celebrated during the 2022 International Peace Honors, to be held on Sunday, February 27, 2022.
The International Peace Honors (IPH) celebrates the work of the most outstanding global leaders and change-agents of our time who make philanthropy and humanitarian service a hallmark of their lives, to advance humanity and our planet.
“It is a privilege to be recognized by the International Peace Honors,” enthuses Juanes. “I am beyond honored and thrilled to be among this group of impassioned leaders working to make the world a more inclusive, and peaceful place. I was blessed to embrace music as a creative outlet at a time of great turmoil during my youth, and now through Mi Sangre Foundation, we aim to create a space for today’s youth as they wrestle with the overlapping and ongoing crises in Colombia. A space where they can peacefully and purposefully pave their own paths out of any difficulties they encounter and become active leaders of change in the communities.”
“Once you’re at the top, to reach behind you and extend your hand to lift others up too, is the mark of a true star. Juanes has reached the pinnacle of success and has found a way to continue to make a difference in the world–not only with his music and talent, but with lasting, effective peacebuilding methods which empower the next generation of peacebuilders. It’s an honor to recognize him as an International Peace Honoree,” states Sheldon Himelfarb, president and CEO of PeaceTech Lab.
As 2022 International Peace Honoree, Juanes joins the notable actor, executive producer and activist Forest Whitaker; internet phenomenon and creator of Humans of New York, Brandon Stanton; executive chairman of Mastercard, Ajay Banga; AMD president and CEO Dr. Lisa Su; IBM fellow emeritus and retired EVP of innovation & technology, Nicholas Donofrio; and Indigenous youth leader and environmentalist, Tokata Iron Eyes, of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
The host, performers, and special guests of the 2022 International Peace Honors will be announced in the upcoming weeks. The ceremony will be broadcast digitally through various social media platforms, including participants and media partners, thus reaching a global audience of approximately 15 million people. The specific broadcast platforms will be announced closer to the date of the broadcast on Sunday, February 27, 2022.
Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez, known professionally as Juanes is Latin rock’s leading global ambassador and champion for social change. Juanes is the only artist holding two of Billboard’s “Top 5 Latin Pop Songs of All-Time,” has 12 No. 1 US singles to his credit, millions of albums sold and streamed globally, and dozens of groundbreaking Spanish language TV and special event performances around the world, including The Grammys, The World Cup and Nobel Peace Prize concerts. This year has seen Juanes collaborate with Elvis Costello and Metallica, while his own recent Origen album and documentary, which reimagines some of the most important songs and artists that shaped his early musical vision, won this year’s Latin GRAMMY award for “Best Pop-Rock Album” and receive a current GRAMMY nomination for 2022.
Juanes has also received numerous international awards for his humanitarian work. Some highlights of which include being named by Time as one of the world’s 100 most influential people; receiving the highest cultural honor given by France, L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and being honored as “The 2019 Latin Recording Academy Person Of The Year” recognizing his “creative artistry, unprecedented humanitarian efforts, support for rising artists, and philanthropic contributions to the world.”
While he is an internationally recognized artist, Juanes’ roots remain firmly planted in his native Colombia. The country that faced decades of violence and instability, is also home to his Mi Sangre Foundation, a peace-building non-profit organization he co-founded alongside Catalina Cock Duque, a successful social entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in social development, who leads the organization.
A tireless activist, Juanes’ passionate commitment is driven by the belief that young people can become agents of change.
Having just celebrated its 15th anniversary, Mi Sangre engages all actors of the ecosystem, including schools, partner organizations, and communities, weaving them together to align visions, encourage collaboration, and empower the next generation to lead the construction of a peace culture. To date, the organization has impacted over 1.5 million individuals, building momentum toward true change.
