Monrovia, Liberia - As Liberia celebrates its 172^nd Independence Anniversary, Nobel Peace Laureate Madam Leymah Gbowee, is expected to deliver the prestigious national oration.

Madam Gbowee, a widely known Liberian feminist and peace advocate, takes the mantle at a time President Weah continues to encourage citizens to embrace peace, unity and harmony towards the greater good of the nation.

The National Day Orator, who is the Founder and President of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, is peace activist credited for leading a women's nonviolent peace movement that helped bring an end to the Liberian Civil War in 2003.

The Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa provides educational and leadership opportunities to girls, women and the youth in Liberia.

She is a founding member and Coordinator of Women in Peace-building Network (WIPNET) of the West Africa Network for Peace-building (WANEP).

Madam Gbowee holds a Masters of Arts in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, VA), a Doctor of Laws (LLD) honoris causa from Rhodes University in South Africa and the University of Alberta in Canada, and a Doctor Honoris Causa in Specialty Management and Conflict Resolution from the Polytechnic University in Mozambique.

She was named in 2013 a Distinguished Fellow in Social Justice, a Visiting Transnational Fellow at the Center for Research on Women and Fellow in Residence at the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College.  Madam Leymah Gbowee was honored as a flag-bearer for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She is the mother of six children.