Abu Dhabi:The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has reported a landmark achievement for its 2027 edition, receiving over 380 nominations from more than 90 countries worldwide. This marks the highest number of submissions and the broadest geographical reach in the history of the award.
According to Wam, the 2027 edition has attracted first-time nominations from 21 countries, including notable entries from Ethiopia, Germany, and the Netherlands. The countries with the highest number of nominations include the UAE, Brazil, the US, Egypt, and India.
The award, which offers a US$1 million financial prize, recognizes a variety of humanitarian efforts. These efforts range from promoting peaceful coexistence and intercultural understanding to advancing education, healthcare, climate action, and the empowerment of People of Determination and elderly people.
The nominations will undergo evaluation by the award's judging committee for 2027, which comprises five esteemed international figures Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, former President of Portugal; Barham Salih, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and former President of Iraq; Nehmat Aoun, First Lady of Lebanon; Maulen Ashimbayev, former Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan; and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Culture at the Holy See. The selected recipient(s) will be honored in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi in February 2027.
Named in memory of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, the award acknowledges individuals and organizations of all backgrounds making exceptional contributions to human fraternity and peaceful coexistence globally. The award was established following a historic meeting in 2019 between Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi, where they signed the Document on Human Fraternity.