Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) – Major General (Maj Gen) Richard Addo Gyane has been honoured with the TUDEC PEACE AWARD 2025, by TUDEC Development Centre, in collaboration with Ghana’s National Peace Council, in recognition of his dedicated service and leadership role in championing peace and unity.
At the TUDEC’s 13th Dialogue & Peace Iftar Dinner held at the Underbridge Events Centre, East Legon, Accra, on Wednesday 12 March 2025, under the theme, “Strengthening Peace: Passing the Culture of Dialogue and Peace to Future Generations”, three other influential persons of social standing, were also honoured along with Maj Gen RA Gyane.
Present as Special Guest at the Iftar – the breaking of the Moslem fast at dusk during the holy month of Ramadan – was Alhaji Issifu Baba Seidu – Member of Parliament, Nalerigu Gambaga, and Minister of State in-charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, who represented the President of Ghana – His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.
Other persons honoured were Right Reverend (Rt Rev) Dr Abraham Nana Opare-Boakye – Moderator, General Assembly, Presbyterian Church of Ghana; Madam Kathleen Addy – Chairperson, National Commission for Civic Education; and Sheikh Ali Abubakar Napari – Executive Director, The Light Foundation.
Previous recipients of the TUDEC PEACE AWARDS are; the Most Rev Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle – Archbishop of the Catholic Church, Cape Coast Diocese; Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubtu – Ghana’s National Chief Imam; and former Chief of the Defence Staff, Ghana Armed Forces – Lieutenant General Obed Boamah Akwah.
Speaking after the receipt of his award, Maj Gen Gyane said daily conversations and external engagements at KAIPTC are aimed at promoting peace, not only in Ghana, but also in the sub-region and the world at large.
He called on humanity to be united by the spirit of dialogue and reflection, and be reminded of the power of peace — not just as an abstract ideal, but as a moral and ethical imperative that must be cultivated and passed on to future generations.
“In our diverse world, peace is not simply the absence of conflict; it is the presence of understanding, compassion, and respect for all humanity. The moral foundation of peace calls us to treat one another with dignity, regardless of our differences. It calls us to foster empathy and build bridges, not walls”, he concluded.
The dinner event saw an assemblage of persons of diverse religious persuasions, including Christians, Moslems, and traditionalists, Civil Servants, amongst many.
TUDEC – a Turkish non-governmental organization for science, culture, charity and education purposes, was founded in Accra-Ghana in June 2011, by a group of professionals in the business, educational, medical and legal sectors to facilitate educational, cultural, commercial and humanitarian exchanges in Ghana and beyond.
Led by its President – Mr Jafaar Capeli, TUDEC also works to establish partnerships among businesses, organizations, and focuses on promoting Ghana in other countries, with a mission to empower society through education, economic upliftment, humanitarian aid, and dialogue, to address the primary challenges of ignorance, poverty, and disunity.
With a vision to embrace humanity without regard to race, gender, color or belief, and an aim of addressing the three primary challenges, they commit to eradicating ignorance through the transformative power of education, enlightening minds and building a brighter future, and also strive to alleviate poverty by uniting businessmen and humanitarian aid, for sustainable development.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
