Joaquim Chissano President of Mozambique, restored peace, democracy and prosperity

Joaquim Chissano ended the Mozambican Civil War that lasted 15 years.

In 1992, Chissano learnt the Transcendental Meditation technique and introduced it to other government officials and their families. Two years later, Chissano and his generals ordered all police and military to "meditate twice a day for 20 minutes." In addition, 16,000 soldiers and 30,000 civilians were taught Transcendental Meditation and its advanced technique of Yogic Flying.

Chissano himself is in no doubt that this collective meditation was responsible for the peace and increasing prosperity of the country. As he said, ‘The result has been political peace and balance in nature in my country...The culture of war has to be replaced by the culture of peace. For that purpose, something deeper has to be changed in our mind and in our consciousness to prevent the recurrence of war.’

According to Tobias Dai, the 2001 defence minister, "the effect was overwhelming" and included reduced crime, drought aversion and three times the expected level of economic growth.

In 2007, Kofi Annan announces the former President of Mozambique as the winner of the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. President Chissano received the inaugural Ibrahim Prize, along with Nelson Mandela, for his achievements in bringing peace, reconciliation, stable democracy and economic progress to his country following the 16-year civil war which lasted until 1992. The Prize also recognises the major contribution he has made outside his country’s borders.