The foundation is awarding “the efforts for the promotion of peace at all levels of society,” demonstrated by the head of the state of the principality. The principality, smaller than Washington, D.C., is located between Switzerland and Austria. It has about 31,000 inhabitants, of whom 25,000 are baptized Catholics.
The Path to Peace Foundation was established by Archbishop Renato Martino, Vatican permanent observer at the United Nations, as an instrument to promote humanitarian projects and assist in the resolution of conflicts. Past winners include King Baudouin I of Belgium, Lech Walesa and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Prince Hans succeeded his father Franz Joseph II in 1989 as head of the principality of Liechtenstein. Over these years he has promoted Christian humanism, both in Europe and America, through internationally recognized academic endeavors. The award will be conferred May 31 in New York.
