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Why did St. Paul VI award the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize to Mother Teresa?
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St. Paul VI
In 1968 Pope Paul VI appeared in Geneva to address the International Labour Organization on the 50th anniversary of its founding.
On January 6, 1971, St. Paul VI awarded the first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize to Mother Teresa to highlight how a humble individual, acting without fanfare, can effectively advance world peace.12
By honoring her, Paul VI sought to demonstrate that even seemingly insoluble problems of justice and peace can be addressed through realistic courage and individual perseverance. He emphasized that Mother Teresa’s life and work proved, through daily action, that "every man is my brother," thereby confronting the world with the necessity of addressing human suffering and promoting unity.1