Yoko Ono was awarded a distinguished German peace prize on Thursday.

The Theodor Wanner Award, given by the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations since 2009, was presented to Ono in Berlin "for her lasting artistic and peace promoting political work."

Receiving the award, the 80-year-old artist, peace activist and widow of John Lennon said, “This prize is a message to me from you that what I’ve been doing was understood by you.”

“Now is time for action and action is peace. Think peace, act peace, spread peace, and let’s make it all together,” she said.

The 10,000-euro prize money is appropriated to a project chosen by the winner; Ono gave her winnings to Boniface Mwangi, an award-winning Kenyan photographer, activist and founder of Pawa254, an organization that brings journalists, artists and activists together to foster social change.

Previous winners of the award given "to those who significantly contribute or have contributed their scientific, social, socio-political, artistic, entrepreneurial or financial expertise to foster dialogue among cultures" include the conductor Daniel Barenboim and former judge at the International Criminal Court Carla del Ponte.

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