Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan Awarded Hessian Peace Prize

WIESBADEN  – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been awarded the Hessian Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts toward establishing peace in the South Caucasus.

The award was presented to Pashinyan during an official ceremony at the Hessian State Parliament in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Upon his arrival at the parliament, Pashinyan was welcomed by Vice President of the Hessian State Parliament Daniela Sommer and Karl Starzacher, chairman of the board of trustees of the Albert Osswald Foundation. The Armenian prime minister then signed the parliament’s book of honored guests.

According to German broadcaster Hessenschau, Pashinyan was recognized for pursuing democratic reforms since 2018, strengthening Armenia’s relations with the European Union, and advancing efforts toward resolving the long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The German report noted that under Pashinyan’s leadership, Armenia has gradually moved closer to Europe and that, in 2025, the country adopted legislation formally declaring the launch of a process aimed at pursuing European Union membership.

The report also highlighted developments in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, noting that after decades of conflict, Armenia and Azerbaijan initialed a peace agreement in August 2025 under U.S. auspices.

Astrid Wallmann, a member of the prize’s board of trustees, said the award recognizes the progress achieved in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Karl Starzacher, chairman of the board of trustees, noted that Pashinyan had chosen diplomacy and political negotiations over further military escalation.

Speakers at the award ceremony included Serap Güler, Minister of State at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office; Starzacher; and Michaela Jäckel-Osswald, a member of the Albert Osswald Foundation committee and daughter of Albert Osswald.

In their remarks, the speakers addressed the decision to award the peace prize to Pashinyan and praised his efforts toward establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They also highlighted his role in advancing democratic reforms in Armenia and developing the country’s relations with the European Union.

The ceremony also included a presentation on Pashinyan’s biography and career, including his work as a journalist and editor, his service as a member of parliament, his leadership during Armenia’s 2018 popular, nonviolent Velvet Revolution, and his subsequent tenure as prime minister.