James Mancham

Sir James Mancham is a Seychellois politician, businessman, author, and peace advocate. The founder of Seychelles’ democratic party, Sir James was elected as the country’s first president when it gained independence from British rule in 1976. Less than a year later, Mancham was deposed in a coup d’etat and resided in London in exile for the next 15 years. When the ban on opposition parties was finally lifted, Mancham returned to Seychelles helping to lead the country back to a multi-party democracy. Sir James has since stepped down from leading the party to focus on peace advocacy and international reconciliation efforts with various foundations.

Mancham’s statesmanship and philosophies regarding world peace have earned him the International Jurists Award, Gusi Peace Prize, Africa Peace Award, and a knighthood in Britain, among other accolades.