Mennonite Church USA’s 2026 Bring the Peace award recipients are a pastor who retired to devote time to international peacebuilding and a college student who brings people together to address immigration and conflict issues.

At a time when others his age might be seeking to slow down, Weldon Nisly has served with Community Peacemaker Teams, mostly on the CPT Iraqi Kurdistan and Palestine teams for the past decade.

After earning a degree in peace studies at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, he served in peace ministry under Mennonite Central Committee, later filling pastoral roles at Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship from 1984 to 1995 and Seattle Mennonite Church from 1995 to 2013.

He joined CPT in his 70s to accompany people targeted by war, advocate for their human rights and amplify their voices. He continues to serve on CPT’s Steering Committee as it seeks a new executive director.

Goshen College graduate Fernando Daza-Jabian attends Waterford Mennonite Church in Goshen and earned double majors this spring in business and peace, justice and conflict studies. He served in campus leadership roles with the Prevention Intervention Network, the Latino Student Union, the Academic Response Team and as a peer financial coach through Everence.

He has volunteered for several years with the Center for Healing & Hope in Goshen, serving in the Natural Helpers Program. The program connects immigrants and community volunteers who speak their language, bridging the gap to essential resources such as food, transportation, housing, jobs, language classes and legal assistance.

“Peacemaking begins when you find something you care deeply about and have the courage to take one small step toward making it better,” he said.