Report by Mr. Filip Deheegher, the City of Ypres, Belgium
During the May 2023 City Council, Ypres Mayor Emmily Talpe announced that the International Peace Prize of the City of Ypres 2023 goes to Princess Inyang Okokon, based on the decision by the school youth in the city. As a survivor of human trafficking and forced street prostitution, Ms. Okokon has dedicated herself to counseling victims of human trafficking and supporting girls in leaving prostitution in Italy, as well as empowering women in Nigeria through microfinancing to protect their children from traffickers.
Since the very first edition of the award in 2002, the city of Ypres has entrusted the final selection of the laureate to the city’s school youth. The youngsters study the nominees at school and vote for their favourite, choosing from a list of five to six nominees. The final result is presented to the mayor, who then announces the laureate during a session of the municipal council.
When the laureate comes to Ypres to receive the prize of €25,000, she will visit the participating schools and direct dialogue will be established between the laureate and the youngsters. In this way, young people get acquainted with themes, regions, topics that are relevant to peace but otherwise not covered during regular lessons at school, and are introduced to how democratic elections are set up and run.