Johannesburg -- FORMER Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu has received a boost from the Russian government after she was invited to be one of the Russian Peace Prize Foundation jurists.

Last month, Sisulu, who was removed from her portfolio following numerous run-ins with President Cyril Ramaphosa, received a letter from the L.N. Tolstoy International Peace Prize Foundation, a Russian equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize, to help the foundation select candidates to be honoured by the foundation.

This peace prize was established by the Russian Historical Society, the Russian Military Historical Society, and the Russian Peace Prize on June 22, 2022, in a bid to promote peace and international cooperation in honour of Russian writer and thinker Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy.

According to the letter, the prize will be awarded annually to deserving candidates who play their role in preventing "nuclear threats and promoting an inclusive and equal society for a multi-polar and non-violent world."

Individual citizens, initiative groups, public organisations, and scientific, educational, and cultural centres are earmarked for this prize.

"Honourable minister, the L.N Tolstoy International Peace Prize Foundation has the honour to invite you, a prominent state and political figure of the Republic of South Africa, actively promoting cooperation and mutual understanding between peoples, to join the jury of the L.N Tolstoy International Peace Prize Foundation. It will definitely add additional weight to decisions related to the selection of candidatures of applicants and awarding of the Prize in order to promote the consolidation of peace and friendship between people," the invite reads.

Speaking to The Star, the advisor to the former minister, Mphumzi Mdekazi, said Sisulu has welcomed the invitation and looks forward to contributing to the work of the Peace Prize.

"The Minister welcomes the appointment, especially for its significance in building global peace. She recognises the efforts of the Russians in edifying an egalitarian global order too. She does this also because Russia to her is like home, as they have nurtured her militarily and the foundation they gave her for intelligence training during the liberation struggle days," Mdekazi said.

She said Sisulu has also indicated how excited she is about representing not only the country but the continent as part of the committee.

"It is equally pleasing that she managed to magnetise the eyes of the Tolstoy International Peace Committee because of not only her leadership attributes, as they have described her, but more importantly, what she can contribute to a global platform like this. This simply means she can lead beyond our borders. Hopefully she will make the continent and South Africa proud too," he said.

The Star