Jason Carter and Vint Cerf to Receive the Award as Symbolic Representatives at the America at 250 Conference, Harvard University Loeb House, May 1, 2026
Boston, Mass., March 25, 2026 — The Boston Global Forum (BGF) today announced the presentation of the 2026 World Leader for Peace and Security Award, honoring the leaders of the United States and the American people on the occasion of America’s 250th anniversary. The award will be presented at the America at 250: A Beacon for the AI Age Conference on Friday, May 1, 2026, at Harvard University Loeb House in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The 2026 World Leader for Peace and Security Award recognizes America’s historic and enduring contributions to peace, security, democratic values, and human progress. On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Boston Global Forum honors not only the nation’s leaders, but also the spirit, creativity, and civic courage of the American people — whose contributions to science, culture, innovation, and democratic life have helped shape the modern world.
The Award Recipients
The award will be received by two distinguished symbolic representatives.
Jason Carter, Chairman of The Carter Center Board of Trustees and grandson of President Jimmy Carter, will receive the award representing the moral leadership legacy of the United States through President Jimmy Carter. President Carter’s lifetime of service — advancing health and human rights, brokering peace, combating disease, and defending democracy around the world — remains one of the most powerful expressions of American moral leadership. Jason Carter will deliver special remarks titled “America as a Moral Beacon: Continuing the Carter Legacy of Peace, Human Rights, and Trusted Innovation in the Age of AI.”
Vint Cerf, widely recognized as one of the “fathers of the internet,” will receive the award representing the creativity, innovation, and civic spirit of the American people in the digital age. As co-designer of the TCP/IP protocols that form the foundation of the internet, Cerf helped create the global network that transformed human communication, commerce, knowledge, and civic life. He will speak on “Building Information Trust Infrastructure for Democracy in the AI Age.”
“America’s greatest contributions to the world have never been its power alone — but its ideals: liberty, democracy, and the belief that human beings, given the right conditions, can build a more just and peaceful world. At 250, those ideals are more needed than ever.” — Governor Michael S. Dukakis, Co-Author, America at 250: A Beacon for the AI Age
The conference will also feature the presentation of the book America at 250: A Beacon for the AI Age, co-authored by Governor Michael S. Dukakis and Nguyen Anh Tuan, together with high-level discussions on building Trust Infrastructure and a new Trust Order in the AI Age.
About the World Leader for Peace and Security Award
Founded in 2015, the World Leader for Peace and Security Award is presented annually by the Boston Global Forum to honor heads of state, heads of government, and leaders of international organizations whose leadership has made significant contributions to peace, security, and democratic values on the world stage. Past recipients have included Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President Sauli Niinistö, President Ursula von der Leyen, and President Emmanuel Macron. The 2026 award marks a historic occasion: honoring the United States of America on the 250th anniversary of its founding.
About the Boston Global Forum
The Boston Global Forum (BGF) is a leading think tank dedicated to advancing democratic values, trusted innovation, and global governance in the AI Age. BGF founded the AI World Society (AIWS) and convenes world leaders, scholars, innovators, and policymakers to develop frameworks for peace, security, democracy, and human-centered progress.
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Boston Global Forum
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Website: bostonglobalforum.org
