President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Mohamed Abdelsalam, and members of the jury of the “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity” - former President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and former Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, on January 9.
Modern.az presents the material prepared from that meeting.
The guests, stating that they always visit Azerbaijan with pleasure, expressed their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the reception. They stated that the “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity” for 2026 would be presented to President Ilham Aliyev for his efforts in achieving peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and said that the solemn award ceremony would be held on February 4 this year in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, emphasizing that they felt honored to present the invitation letter to President Ilham Aliyev to participate in that event as a guest of honor.
It was noted that the “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity” was established based on a document signed by the Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Grand Imam Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, and the late Pope Francis, and promotes the humanitarian legacy and values of the founder and former President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The awarding of this prize to the head of our state was also regarded as an embodiment of the appreciation given by the Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Grand Imam Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, Pope Leo XIV, and the jury to the Azerbaijani President's activities aimed at establishing peace.
It was stated that the members of the jury of the “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity”, after examining all peace models worldwide last year, decided that the model of the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia serves as an excellent example for application in other conflict and war-affected regions.
Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Mohamed Abdelsalam: On behalf of the jury, I would like to say that Your Excellency's work to achieve success in the peace agreement inspires all of us and is a magnificent example of peace for existing conflict regions in various parts of the world.
We and the entire world highly appreciate this in terms of values, because the world truly needs it. The presentation of this award to you demonstrates the agreement's importance in establishing peace, reconciliation, and regional stability. Mr. President, we truly express our gratitude to you.
Member of the jury of the “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity”, former President of the European Council, Charles Michel: I believe that the peace agreement you have implemented together with Armenia is a very strong signal for the countries of the world. That is, despite the difficulties, past and present sufferings, there is a common will to look to the future with optimism and hope, even if small. This is linked to the values we wish to promote and defend. Because we believe that these values should be promoted more in the future. I want to reiterate that we appreciate your leadership and this peace agreement. With our decision regarding the award, we want to demonstrate our support for all your efforts to turn this peace agreement into a reality, and to wish for positive hopes and prospects for the region, the South Caucasus, and also the wider area.
Member of the jury of the “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity”, former Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki: I believe that peace and stability are very essential. In my opinion, your vision and leadership qualities are highly valued. As a member of the jury, I would like to congratulate you and express my gratitude for your agreement to participate in our meeting, and for showing the entire world and the peoples of the region what peace and courage entail. As you noted, until recently, murder and bloodshed were observed. But now you have demonstrated the courage to move forward, to establish peace and stability. Your Excellency, congratulations.
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The head of our state, expressing his gratitude to the jury for the kind words and the invitation, as well as for the high appreciation of Azerbaijan's efforts towards establishing peace in the region, emphasized that he accepted the invitation with pleasure.
Touching upon the importance of peace in terms of regional stability and prosperity, President Ilham Aliyev said that despite the sufferings and sacrifices faced by our people during the occupation, Azerbaijan has demonstrated a strong political will to establish lasting peace. President Ilham Aliyev brought to attention that the peace agreement was prepared by Azerbaijan and presented to Armenia, and that efforts in this direction would continue.
President Ilham Aliyev: “As you rightly noted, peace will bring stability and prosperity to the entire region. If we look at the recent past, we will see that our case is somewhat unique. By recent past, I mean the last decade. The path from the last bloody battles to peace took two years. Despite the suffering and sacrifices, we demonstrated a strong political will to establish lasting peace, and we are already seeing its fruits.”
The head of our state noted that we have been living in peace for only five years and emphasized that in recent months, peace has already moved to a practical level, including in the area of trade. In this regard, the President of Azerbaijan noted the historical importance of the agreements reached on the peace agenda at the Washington meeting on August 8, 2025, and highly appreciated the efforts of US President Donald Trump in this matter.
President Ilham Aliyev: “We are getting used to living in peace. Believe me, this is a pleasant feeling. You feel that there is no more war, no more additional sacrifices, no more bloodshed. You can do more for the people, the country, and for development, prosperity, and stability. Again, I think that the agreement reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the appreciation given by such a group of distinguished individuals truly show that to achieve peace, you need a strong political will. You must desire it wholeheartedly. You must do it in action, not just in words. When such efforts are appreciated, you become even more encouraged and send a message of peace to other places on the global map where people are still dying in war.”
Speaking about the “Zayed Award for Human Fraternity”, the head of our state stated that there is great admiration worldwide for the memory of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. President Ilham Aliyev also noted that he has fraternal relations with his successor, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In this regard, the head of our state said that being awarded the prize was a double honor for him. President Ilham Aliyev requested that his gratitude be conveyed to the Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, and the Pope for their support for the achievements on the peace agenda in the region and for their appreciation of his activities.
During the conversation, an exchange of views took place on issues of mutual interest.
