As we move further into this decade of uncertainty, let us look back at those 2017 laureates as reminders. They proved that a teacher in Lahore and a doctor in Kolkata can be allies. That a student in Kathmandu and an activist in Colombo can share a dream.
The honorees of 2017 didn’t wait for governments to sign treaties. They built hospitals. They published multilingual children’s books. They organized cross-border film festivals. They showed that peace is not a political agreement—it is a daily action. If there is one lesson from the Ambassador of Peace SAARC 2017, it is this: Award ceremonies end, but the work of peace never does.
In 2017, the event spotlighted leaders who refused to let political boundaries limit their compassion. The 2017 ceremony was a mosaic of cultures and causes. The honorees that year came from diverse backgrounds—educators building schools in remote villages, doctors providing cross-border medical aid, activists fighting human trafficking, and environmentalists working on shared river systems.