2026 Zayed Award Honours Afghan Girls Education Advocate, Armeniaazerbaijan Peace Agreement

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Peace, hope and education were honoured today by the 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, with the award going to the historic peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Afghan girls' education advocate Zarqa Yaftali.

The honourees join ranks of other activists, world leaders, religious leaders, humanitarians and more that have received the prestigious award, started in 2019.

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The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity recognises individuals and organisations for outstanding contributions to building a more peaceful, harmonious, and compassionate world. It was inspired by the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by the late Pope Francis and Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and the humanitarian legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the UAE.

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Armenia–Azerbaijan peace agreement

The landmark decision is being honoured as a process of peace, dialogue, normalisation, and conflict resolution undertaken by the two states.

It underscores that reconciliation is not a single act, but a sustained journey.

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. He stressed that this achievement is not the result of an individual effort, but rather the outcome of collective work involving many inside and outside Armenia, especially the country's political team, government, parliament, and the society that supports the peace agreement.

“That we [Armenia and Azerbaijan] are sharing this award reflects a mutual and collective achievement,” Pashinyan added.

He 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.

Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, expressed his appreciation for the recognition and extended his gratitude to the 2026 award judging committee for honouring efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus region and the world.

He noted that the recognition holds special significance as the award bears the name of the late Sheikh Zayed UAE, in addition to the support of Pope Leo XIV and Ahmed Al-Tayeb making the recognition by this global award a“double honour.”

Education advocate Zarqa Yaftali

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.

Yaftali said she felt“deeply excited and overwhelmed with emotion,” expressing sincere gratitude to the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity judging committee.

She said that being selected as a 2026 honouree 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.

Judging committee

The 2026 honourees were selected by an independent global judging committee composed of distinguished figures and experts in dialogue and coexistence.

These include:

• Charles Michel (former President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium)

• Moussa Faki Mahamat (former Chairperson of the African Union Commission and former Prime Minister of Chad)

• Catherine Russell (Unicef Executive Director)

• Saida Mirziyoyeva (Head of the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan Her Excellency)

• Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça (Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education at the Holy See)

• Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam (Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity)

Abdelsalam said that choosing the Armenia–Azerbaijan agreement reflects the award's aim to promote dialogue and coexistence. He called the peace agreement a "major diplomatic achievement", saying it ended "nearly four decades of tension and conflict in the Caucasus" and laid the groundwork for a safer future in the region.

Russell said,“The committee was honoured to recognise Zarqa Yaftali for her tireless efforts and leadership to protecting Afghan girls' right to education and advancing women's empowerment, despite facing tremendous challenges.”

Mirziyoyeva affirmed that the announcement of the 2026 honorees embodies a global moral commitment to the principles of peace and human dignity. She emphasised that this recognition conveys a renewed message of hope to the international community and reaffirms the capacity of human fraternity to foster meaningful and enduring change.

The 2026 recipients will be honored on February 4, 2026 - coinciding with UN-recognised International Day of Human Fraternity - at the annual award ceremony, to be held at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi at 7pm UAE time. The ceremony will be livestreamed on the award's social media channels.

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