ABU DAHBI — The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has announced its 2026 laureates, the Government of Armenia reported.
According to the award committee, the agreement on the establishment of peace and interstate relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan has been highly commended as a meaningful process of peacebuilding, dialogue, normalization of relations, and conflict resolution undertaken by both states. The committee emphasized that reconciliation is not a one-time act, but a continuous and consistent journey.
The Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, highlighted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s sustained, consistent, and principled efforts aimed at establishing and strengthening peace.
The award will be formally presented to Prime Minister Pashinyan in February in Abu Dhabi.
The 2026 laureates were selected by an independent, globally recognized jury composed of distinguished figures and experts in the fields of dialogue and coexistence. Members of the jury include former President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium Charles Michel; former Chairperson of the African Union Commission and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Chad Moussa Faki Mahamat; Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education; UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell; Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva; and the Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam.
Each award laureate receives a prize of USD 1 million. In previous years, recipients have included United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Pope Francis of Rome, who passed away in April 2025.
The award is named in honor of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late founder of the United Arab Emirates.
