The winners of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, organized by the United Arab Emirates, have been determined.
Modern.az reports that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia are also among the winners for 2026.
The organization cited the historic peace agreement reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the Washington meeting on August 8 as the reason for this.
According to the organization, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the award, noting that efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus and worldwide are highly valued. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the award bearing the name of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, as well as the support of Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, turns this recognition into a “double honor.”
It should be recalled that the 2026 laureates were selected by an independent global jury. The committee included Charles Michel, former President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium; Moussa Faki Mahamat, former Chairperson of the African Union Commission and former Prime Minister of Chad; Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF; Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan; Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See; and Hakim Mohammed Abdulsalam, Secretary-General of the Zayed Award.
Hakim Mohammed Abdulsalam, Secretary-General of the Committee, stated that the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a significant milestone in the advancement of global reconciliation, turning a new page on decades of tension in the Caucasus and laying a solid foundation for a more secure future for both nations. Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, highly praised Zarqa Yaftali's tireless efforts in protecting the educational rights of Afghan girls.
The 2026 award ceremony will be held on February 4, 2026, coinciding with the International Day of Human Fraternity. The ceremony, organized in Abu Dhabi, will be broadcast live via YouTube.
It should be noted that since 2019, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has honored 19 laureates from 19 countries. Among them are Pope Francis (honorary), Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb (honorary), UN Secretary-General António Guterres, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, FOKAL Haiti, the Italian Community of Sant’Egidio, Kenyan peacebuilder Shamsa Abubakar Fadhil, Indonesian charitable organizations Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, Egyptian heart surgeon Professor Magdi Yacoub, Chilean NGO founder Nelly León Correa, and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley.
The Award continues its mission to create a more harmonious, compassionate, and inclusive world by recognizing individuals and organizations that serve human fraternity, peace, education, and humanitarian values.
