INTRODUCTION
The First Buddhist Summit held in December 1998 unanimously passed a resolution to establish an International Peace Prize named after Lord Gautam Buddha. Subsequently the Government of Nepal established the Gautam Buddha International Peace Award in 2002. 

Purpose and objective: 
The purpose of the Gautam Buddha International Peace Award is to recognize and honour individuals and institutions from around the world that have made significant contribution to peace and non-violence inspired by or consistent with the teachings of Lord Buddha. 

Selection Criteria: 
The Gautam Buddha International Peace Award is conferred on distinguished individuals and institutions that made significant contribution in one or more of the following areas:

Promotion of world peace, disarmament and non-violence.
Alleviation of human suffering, and promotion of human solidarity.
Peaceful resolution of conflicts through creative application of Buddhist philosophy.
The development of Lumbini/Nepal, as a major global pilgrimage site.
Officials of the Government of Nepal who are currently in active service in political and administrative affairs of State will not be eligible for nomination for the Award. 

Nomination Guidelines:
The following individuals and institutions may nominate candidates for the Gautam Buddha International Peace Award:

Recognized national and international Buddhist associations
Individuals and institutions who have won the Nobel Peace Prize and similar international awards
Executive Heads and members of governing bodies of the United Nations, its specialized agencies, funds and programmes.

SAYINGS OF GAUTAM BUDDHA
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. "
-Buddha
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
- Buddha
"An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind."
-Buddha