UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has honoured global peacebuilders and humanitarian advocates at the 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking at the event at the Founder’s Memorial, the President congratulated this year’s recipients, who were recognised for advancing peace, dialogue and human dignity.
The honourees include Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, and Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, awarded jointly for the historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which ended decades of conflict.
Also recognised was humanitarian organisation Taawon, for its long-humanitarian work supporting Palestinians, and Afghan education advocate Zarqa Yaftali, for her efforts to defend the right of girls and women to education under extremely challenging conditions.
His Highness said the award highlights the enduring value of human fraternity in building bridges between societies and safeguarding human dignity. He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to promoting peace, coexistence and dialogue, describing the award as a global platform that celebrates practical action rooted in compassion and cooperation.
Addressing the ceremony, Aliyev and Pashinyan said the recognition belonged not only to political leaders but to the people of both nations, whose willingness to embrace peace made the agreement possible. Meanwhile, representatives of Taawon and Yaftali said the award underscored the importance of sustained humanitarian action and moral courage in times of crisis.
The ceremony coincided with the UN-recognised International Day of Human Fraternity and marked the opening of nominations for the 2027 edition of the award, which carries a prize of $1 million.
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