The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity announced today the honorees of the prize’s 2026 edition: the historic peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Afghan girls’ education advocate Zarqa Yaftali – marking the first award recipients from the Caucasus and Afghanistan, respectively.
A landmark decision guided by visionary leadership toward ending decades of conflict and humanitarian suffering in the Caucasus, the Agreement on Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan is being honoured as a process of peace, dialogue, normalisation, and conflict resolution undertaken by the two states, which underscores that reconciliation is not a single act, but a sustained journey, said the citation.
A woman of courage with a lifelong dedication to protecting the right to education for women and children, Zarqa Yaftali is being honoured for providing educational resources, psychosocial support, and community-based services to over 100,000 people in Afghanistan and beyond – providing hope and knowledge to girls living in restrictive environments, it said.
Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia, called the award a “great honour” in recognition of the efforts undertaken to help establish peace in the Caucasus region, and a sincere acknowledgement of everyone who contributed to bringing this historic agreement to fruition.
Pashinyan expressed confidence that this recognition will have a tangible impact both within Armenia and beyond, and will contribute to strengthening trust between Armenia and Azerbaijan, emphasising that this historic shared moment of recognition is of great significance and will support the path to peace.
Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, expressed his appreciation for the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity’s recognition of the peace agreement and extended his gratitude to the 2026 award judging committee for honoring efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus region and the world.
For her part, Yaftali said she felt “deeply excited and overwhelmed with emotion,” expressing sincere gratitude to the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity judging committee.
Yaftali said that being selected as a 2026 honoree represents “a powerful and meaningful message” for women in Afghanistan, bringing hope and encouragement to many Afghan women—especially students in online schools and young women enrolled in peace, security, and leadership courses.
The 2026 honorees were selected by an independent global judging committee composed of distinguished figures and experts in dialogue and coexistence, namely: former President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium Charles Michel, former Chairperson of the African Union Commission and former Prime Minister of Chad Moussa Faki Mahamat, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, Head of the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education at the Holy See His Eminence Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, and Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam.
Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam said: “This year, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity committee selected the historic peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which embody the award’s mission and objectives in promoting and fostering a culture of dialogue and coexistence, marking a pivotal milestone in advancing global peace and a major diplomatic achievement – turning the page on nearly four decades of tension and conflict in the Caucasus and laying a strong foundation for a safer, shared future for both peoples.” - TradeArabia News Service
