Mahdi Yahya
Peacebuilder, Speaker, and Founder of Peace of Art International
Recipient of the International Bremen Peace Award 2026 for Pioneering Peace Work
Mahdi Yahya.
Building bridges across differences. Advancing peace through dialogue, education, leadership, and human connection.
Pioneering Peace Work
Bremen, Germany · 2026
From experience
to purpose.
Growing up in Lebanon, I witnessed how conflict shapes lives, communities, and opportunities. Those experiences inspired my commitment to building understanding where division once stood.
Today, my work connects grassroots peacebuilding with international dialogue, civic education, youth leadership, and cross-cultural cooperation.
As the founder of Peace of Art International, I believe that sustainable peace begins when individuals and communities are empowered to participate, collaborate, and lead.
Peace is not only an aspiration. It is work we build together.
International Bremen Peace Award
In 2026, I received the International Bremen Peace Award from Stiftung die schwelle in the category of Pioneering Peace Work.
This recognition reflects a commitment to community-led peacebuilding, dialogue, and the empowerment of people working for positive social change.
Where purpose
meets action.
Connecting people, ideas, and institutions to create opportunities for peaceful, inclusive, and resilient societies.
Peacebuilding & Dialogue
Conflict transformation, interreligious dialogue, coexistence, and social cohesion.
Youth Empowerment & Civic Engagement
Education, leadership, democratic participation, and community empowerment.
Cultural Diplomacy
Strengthening understanding and cooperation across cultures, communities, and borders.
NGO Strategy & Development
Organizational leadership, international partnerships, and sustainable institutional growth.
Public Speaking & Advocacy
Sharing perspectives on peace, democracy, leadership, and social transformation.
Education for Peace
Designing educational experiences that promote dialogue, critical thinking, and mutual understanding.
Local roots.
International reach.
In 2016, I founded Peace of Art with a vision to make peacebuilding participatory, creative, and community-led.
What began as a local initiative has developed into an international network connecting organizations in Lebanon, Germany, and the United States.
Together, we work to strengthen dialogue, education, civic participation, and community resilience.
People. Places.
Possibilities.
Moments of dialogue, recognition, and human connection that reflect the purpose behind my work.
Community engagement
Bremen City Hall, 2026
Bremen, Germany
“Living through repeated crises taught me that peace cannot be taken for granted. It must be protected, nurtured, and rebuilt again and again.”
Reflections on
peace and society.
Articles, perspectives, and reflections on peacebuilding, leadership, democracy, culture, and the challenges shaping our world.
Meaningful change begins with a conversation.
For speaking invitations, institutional partnerships, interviews, or strategic consultations, I welcome opportunities to connect and collaborate.
“Living through repeated crises taught me that peace cannot be taken for granted. It must be protected, nurtured, and rebuilt again and again. That realization shaped not only my work, but the purpose of my life.”
— Mahdi Yahya
Discover the story behind this international recognition and the journey that transformed personal experiences of instability into a lifelong commitment to peacebuilding, dialogue, and social change.
Watch the Award Video here