Zayed Award for Human Fraternity announces the 2026 honorees
ABU DHABI, 19 JANUARY / WAM / The Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity announced the award’s honorees in its seventh session, namely, the historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Zarqa Yaftali, the Afghan advocate for women’s education, making them the first honorees of the award from the Caucasus region and Afghanistan.
The selection of “the historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries” comes in appreciation of its exceptional importance. It reflects a wise and conscious leadership vision, and opens new horizons for peace, cooperation, and stability between the two countries, which contributes to ending decades of conflict and human suffering in the Caucasus region, and gives hope for a more solid future not only preserved by reconciliation, but strengthened by mutual trust, and supported by a sincere will for peace.
The selection of Ms. Zarqa Yaftali, the Afghan advocate for women’s education, also comes in recognition of her courage in devoting her life to defending the right of women and girls who faced difficulties in education, helping them acquire basic skills, knowledge and qualifications, accessing educational opportunities and providing psychological and social support to more than 100,000 people in Afghanistan and abroad, providing a glimmer of hope for girls living in harsh and complex circumstances.
On this occasion, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, expressed his pride in honoring the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity for the peace agreement between his country and the Republic of Armenia, thanking the award’s jury at its seventh session in 2026 for its appreciation for efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus region and the world.
His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev said: This honor has special significance, because the award is linked to the name of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “may God rest his soul,” the founder of the United Arab Emirates, in addition to the great symbolism that the award enjoys under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Leo
His Excellency Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, expressed his deep pride in the honor being granted by one of the most prominent independent international awards, in recognition of the efforts made to establish peace in the Caucasus region, stressing that this recognition represents a great honor and reflects a sincere appreciation for everyone who contributed to the success of this historic agreement and its emergence into the light.
His Excellency stressed that this achievement is not the result of an individual effort, but rather the result of collective work in which many people inside and outside Armenia participated, noting that the essence of this achievement is due, above all, to the political team in Armenia, the government, parliament and society that supports the peace agreement.
His Excellency said: “This honor will have a tangible impact inside and outside Armenia, and will contribute to strengthening confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan, considering that this joint historical moment of honor is of great importance and will support the path of peace.”
Zarqa Yaftali expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation to the members of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity jury, and to all the supporting teams for giving her this opportunity and honoring her.
Yaftali said: “This honor carries a strong and inspiring message for the women of Afghanistan, noting that the honor will be good news and a source of hope for many women, especially for students of online schools, and for girls enrolled in peace, security, and leadership programs and courses.”
The award’s 2026 honorees were chosen by the independent Global Prize Jury, a committee composed of a global team of judges and experts in promoting dialogue and coexistence, including His Excellency Charles Michel, former President of the European Council, former Prime Minister of Belgium, His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, former Chairman of the African Union Commission, former Prime Minister of Chad, Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Her Excellency Saida Mirziyoeva, Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan, His Eminence Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendoza, Head of the Department of Culture and Education of the Holy See in the Vatican, and His Excellency Counselor Muhammad Abdel Salam, Secretary General of the Award.
His Excellency Counselor Mohammed Abdul Salam said: “This year’s selection of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity for the historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia reflects the essence of the award’s message and its goals in promoting world peace and spreading the culture of dialogue and peaceful coexistence, especially since this agreement is considered a prominent diplomatic achievement that establishes the victory of the language of dialogue over conflict, strengthens the principles of good neighborliness, and opens the way for a new phase of cooperation and sustainable stability in the Caucasus region, which contributes to Ending nearly four decades of tension and conflict in this region, and laying firm foundations for a safe and shared future for the two peoples.”
Catherine Russell said: “The committee is proud to honor Ms. Zarqa Yaftali, in recognition of her leadership role and contributions to protecting the right of Afghan girls to education and promoting women’s empowerment, despite the increasingly complex challenges and difficult circumstances.”
Her Excellency Saida Mirziyoyeva said: “The announcement of the award’s honorees in its 2026 session embodies a global moral commitment to the principles of peace and the preservation of human dignity. This honor carries a renewed message of hope to the international community, and reaffirms the ability of human brotherhood to bring about real and sustainable change.”
The award’s annual ceremony to celebrate the honorees will be held on February 4, 2026, coinciding with the International Day of Human Fraternity, at exactly seven o’clock in the evening, UAE time, at the “Zayed the Founder’s Memorial” in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The honoring ceremony will be broadcast live on the award’s social media channels: Zayed Award for Human Fraternity – YouTube.
The award, which was established following the signing of the Human Fraternity Document in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by His Holiness the late Pope Francis, the former Pope of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence the Grand Imam Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and in commemoration of the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, founder of the United Arab Emirates, celebrates individuals and entities that provide Great contributions towards building a more peaceful and compassionate world, based on promoting the values of human brotherhood.
Since 2019, the award has celebrated 19 honored individuals and entities from 19 countries, including His Eminence the Grand Imam, Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar (honorary recipient of the award), His Holiness the late Pope Francis, former Pope of the Catholic Church (honorary recipient of the award), Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Moroccan-French Latifa Ben Ziaten, founder of the “Imad Association for Youth and Peace.” The anti-extremism activist, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and his wife, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, the Haitian Foundation for Knowledge and Freedom (FOCAL), the Catholic Sant’Egidio Organization, the Kenyan peace advocate Shamsa Abu Bakr Fadel, the two Indonesian charities Nahdlat Al Ulama and Muhammadiyah, and the Egyptian world-class heart surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, Sister Nelly Leon Correa, President and Co-Founder of the Resilient Women Foundation in Chile, Her Excellency Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and Global Central Kitchen, and the young Ethiopian-American Heman Bekele, a scientific researcher and innovator in the field of health.
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