Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has been decorated with the Mahatma Gandhi Award for World Unity.
The honour was bestowed during the 26th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World (ICCJW), held from 19th to 24th November 2025 in Lucknow, India.
Organisers praised Speaker Bagbin for his unstinting support to children’s appeal for world unity and world peace, and for a safe and secure future for over 2.5 billion children of the world and generations yet-to-be-born.”
Presenting the award to Ghana’s Ambassador to India, Jonathan Rexford Magnussen, who received it on behalf of the Speaker, Prof. Sandeep Srivastava, Project Leader of ICCJW, extolled Bagbin’s unwavering dedication to promoting global stability.
“The world is in dire need of leaders like Rt. Hon. Bagbin, who secretes the milk of love and kindness to nourish children into becoming the Mahatma Gandhis, Kwame Nkrumahs and Nelson Mandelas of tomorrow,” Prof. Srivastava said.
He lauded Bagbin’s leadership in promoting peace across continents and his ongoing commitment to protecting children from the horrors of conflict.
Ambassador Magnussen expressed profound gratitude on behalf of the Speaker, describing the recognition as a testament to Ghana’s rising influence in global peace initiatives.
“Rt. Hon. Bagbin is not only a parliamentary colossus with immense respect in international legislative governance; he is an acclaimed peace broker,” he stated.
The Ambassador highlighted Bagbin’s current role on the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Task Force working to help resolve the Russia–Ukraine war, emphasising that his mediation credentials continue to shape global parliamentary diplomacy.
This year’s ICCJW focused on mitigating rising global conflicts, climate-triggered disasters, and fragmented governance systems. According to the UNHCR Global Trends Report (2024), more than 123.2 million people were displaced by war and conflict in 2024 alone, a stark reminder of the need for renewed global cooperation.
The Conference called for a revitalised international security framework, noting that the United Nations could draw inspiration from Article 51 of the Indian Constitution, which advocates for peaceful coexistence, respect for international law, and arbitration in resolving global disputes.
Other award recipients included India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, reaffirming the Conference’s recognition of world leaders who embody principles of peace, unity, and global cooperation.
The Mahatma Gandhi Award for World Unity adds to a growing list of honours that acknowledge Speaker Bagbin’s influence in strengthening democratic governance and promoting peace on the global stage.
He remains the only Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament to serve consecutively in both the Eighth and Ninth Parliaments, earning international acclaim for his statesmanship.