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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have been jointly awarded the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2026 in Abu Dhabi.
The leaders were honored for their consistent efforts to advance peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, promote cooperation, and contribute to regional stability.
The award was presented by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an official ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Pashinyan said that the current developments would have seemed unbelievable for decades. He noted that over the past 40 years, the words “peace,” “Armenia,” and “Azerbaijan” were rarely mentioned together, and if they were, it was considered something extraordinary.
“That is why what happened in 2025 and what is happening today is truly incredible,” Pashinyan said, adding that accepting the award signifies that the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is closed. Otherwise, he stressed, “it would be pointless for the two sides to come together and accept such a high assessment.”
President Aliyev, in turn, stated that Armenia and Azerbaijan had been in conflict for more than three decades and are now learning to live in peace.
“We are learning to live in peace. It is a special feeling,” Aliyev said, noting that the two countries have never lived in peace since gaining independence. He emphasized that this experience could serve as an example for other countries facing conflicts.
Ahead of the award ceremony, Prime Minister Pashinyan met with Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. Abdelsalam thanked the Prime Minister for accepting the invitation to attend the ceremony and highlighted the importance of his participation in the event.
Both sides expressed confidence that the fact that the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan are being honored with the award will give new momentum to the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as contribute to steady progress in promoting cooperation and stability in the region.
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.