On July 24, the Jury of the International Peace Prize named after Lev N. Tolstoy met and voted to unanimously award the 2026 prize to General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam.
The Vietnamese leader was awarded this prestigious international award for his great contributions to the cause of consolidating peace and cooperation between nations.
According to a VNA correspondent in Russia, attending the online vote from Saint Petersburg city, Chairman of the Jury, General Director of the Bolshoi Theater, Art Director cum Director of the Mariinsky Theater (Saint Petersburg), Russian People's Artist Valery Gergiev emphasized that Vietnam has become one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region, while maintaining its own cultural identity in the multicolored picture of the world.
Members of the Jury of the International Peace Prize named after Lev N. Tolstoy especially acknowledged the contributions of the Vietnamese leader to the cause of national construction, successful contributions to the cause of world justice, respect for international law, and promotion to the world of the tradition of peace, humanity and dialogue of the Party, Government and people of Vietnam.
Other representatives of the Jury such as General Director of the State Museum Lev N. Tolstoy, descendant of great writer Tolstoy, Mr. Vladimir Tolstoy (Russia), French social activist Pierre de Gaulle, Member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress Party, South African National Assembly MP Lindiwe Sisulu (online) in their speeches emphasized the task of protecting and preserving the core humanistic values that historical figures, such as great writer Lev Tolstoy and many representatives of other nations, have won many of their famous works to spread to humanity.
The representatives also especially acknowledged Vietnam's success in development and integration. The Asian country was almost completely devastated by war, but has recovered and shown incredible economic growth, truly a source of inspiration for many nations around the world to strive together in the cause of peace.
Because of those achievements, all members of the Jury unanimously voted to award the Lev Tolstoy Prize in 2026 to the highest leader of Vietnam, General Secretary and President To Lam, as an affirmation honoring mutual understanding and cooperation between nations.
This is the third time the International Peace Award named after Lev N. Tolstoy has been awarded.
In 2024, the first award was given to the African Union for significant contributions to the cause of peace consolidation. In 2025, the winners were President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The award is selected by an international council including prestigious political, social and cultural activists from Argentina, Belarus, India, China, the Russian Federation, France, the Republic of South Africa and Japan.
The 2026 Lev Tolstoy Award ceremony for General Secretary and President To Lam will be held at an appropriate time.
