Zayed for Human Fraternity announces the honorees for the year 2026

The Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity announced the honorees of the award 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 choice of the “historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries” comes in recognition of its exceptional importance, as 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 maintained by reconciliation, but also strengthened by mutual trust, and supported by sincere will. For peace.

The selection of 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 learning, 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 conditions.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, 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 jury at its seventh session in 2026 for its appreciation for efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus region and the world.

President Ilham Aliyev said: “This honor has special importance, 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

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, expressed his great 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.

He 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.

He 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, and 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 recipients of the award in its 2026 session were chosen by the Independent World Prize Jury, a committee composed of a global team of arbitrators along with experts in promoting dialogue and coexistence. They are: former President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles Michel, former Chairman of the African Union Commission and former Prime Minister of Chad, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell, Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, and Head of the Department of Culture and Education. In the Holy See at the Vatican, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendoza, and the Secretary General of the Award, Counselor Mohamed Abdel Salam.