Sri Lankan peacebuilder Pushpi Weerakoon has made history by becoming the first Sri Lankan to receive the prestigious Rotary Alumni Global Service Award, the highest honour granted by Rotary International to a distinguished alumnus.
Recognized for her decades-long dedication to conflict resolution, legal reform, and humanitarian work in Sri Lanka and abroad, Pushpi has also been invited to speak at the Rotary International Convention 2025, scheduled to take place from June 21–25 in Calgary, Canada.
She will share the stage with a distinguished roster of international speakers, including Nobel Laureate Tawakkol Karman and NPR host Scott Simon.
Pushpi’s journey as a peacebuilder began in Sri Lanka during the post-tsunami recovery and the country’s civil conflict. Since then, she has worked in numerous global conflict zones across Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas with organizations such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations, while continuing to contribute to Sri Lanka’s own reconciliation and transitional justice efforts.
Her recognition underscores the critical role Sri Lankans continue to play in global peacebuilding and humanitarian work.
