Above: Sean Penn and Michel Martelly at an event in Haiti in March (Photo: OP)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

“Sean Penn is a great friend of Haiti,” Haitian President Martelly said of the country’s Ambassador-at-large following his award by the 12th Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.

Martelly is praising Penn for his Peace Summit Award, which came for his relief work in the country since the 2010 earthquake.

Penn, who was named as Haiti’s Ambassador-at-large earlier this year by Martelly, founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization and has been heavily involved in the country since the 2010 earthquake.

“I am pleased that he has received a prestigious award which recognizes all his efforts in Haiti,” Martelly said. “He never ceases to accompany the Haitian people in their difficult moments, especially after the tragedy of Jan. 12, 2010.”

Penn called for more support for Haiti in accepting the award, bringing attention to the more than 500,000 Haitians still living in camps.

For more on Penn’s relief efforts in Haiti, see Caribbean Journal’s interview with Benjamin Krause, J/P’s country manager for Haiti.