Zayed Award For Human Fraternity 2022 To Be announced

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2022 is expected to be announced in the next fortnight, with an award ceremony to be hosted in Abu Dhabi and broadcast around the world.

The winners of the prestigious award, now on its second edition, will receive prize money of $1 million to support the continuation of their work in promoting peace, harmony and intercultural dialogue.

The award was inspired by the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, in Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019. The Pope and the Grand Imam were designated as honorary recipients of the award when it was established.

The document’s signing is now commemorated each year on 4 February as the UN-recognized International Day of Human Fraternity. Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden joined Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to mark the anniversary with a call for global cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, climate change and other global crises.

Every year, the winners of the Zayed Award are decided by a diverse and independent panel of experts formed by respected public figures from around the world. This year, the panel includes former President of the Republic of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou, Nobel Peace Laureate José Ramos Horta, and experts in peacebuilding as well as intercultural and interfaith dialogue. The panel met last month to select the winners of the 2022 award from a pool of candidates put forward by qualified nominators.

Judging committee member and chair of the Aladdin Project, Dr. Leah Pisar stated: “The values of tolerance, respect, and dignity articulated in the Document of Human Fraternity are essential to progress and peaceful coexistence, and much needed in the current state of world affairs. It is indeed a privilege to be a part of this jury, with such a diverse and inspiring pool of nominees.”

Last year, the award was bestowed upon French-Moroccan activist Latifa Ibn Ziaten and UN Secretary General António Guterres.

Secretary General Guterres decided to donate his share of the award, $500,000, to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees “to support its indispensable efforts to protect the most vulnerable in the human fraternity, the forcibly displaced”.

The other honoree, Latifa Ibn Ziaten, has used the prize to continue her activism against extremism since her son Imad’s tragic murder during the Toulouse and Montauban shootings in 2012.

“This award is an acknowledgement that human fraternity must be nurtured, and never taken for granted. It was humbling to be recognized last year for work that I, like many others, have done to promote tolerance and mutual understanding in communities,” said Ibn Ziaten.

Named in honour of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late ruler of Abu Dhabi and founder of the United Arab Emirates, the award celebrates his legacy of championing peaceful coexistence.

The award is organised by the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, an independent body tasked with advancing the values of human fraternity and inspiring action to promote peace and understanding.

“This year’s Zayed Award for Human Fraternity will be a spotlight of hope for our world at a time when we are emerging from the darkness of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the Higher Committee’s Secretary General.