The Prize Committee has appreciated the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan as a process of peace, dialogue, normalization of relations and conflict resolution undertaken by the two states, underscoring that reconciliation is not a single act but a sustained journey.
Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, a member of the judging committee and Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, praised the continuous, consistent and principled efforts of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to establish and strengthen peace. The award will be presented to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in February in Abu Dhabi.
The 2026 honourees 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 the Republic of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education at the Holy See Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, and Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam.
The Human Fraternity Prize for 2026 received a record number of nominations, with candidates from more than 75 countries. Nominations were submitted by a limited number of eligible nominators, including heads of state, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, civil society activists and young people with significant achievements in making a difference.
In total, more than 350 nominations were received for the award, with the top five countries being the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Italy, Canada and Egypt. The award ceremony will take place on February 4, 2026, in Abu Dhabi, coinciding with the UN-recognized International Day of Human Fraternity.
The award is named in honor of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates.
