Yerevan hosts Prince Talal awards ceremony with US$1 million prize fund

The 2025 Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development award ceremony was held in Yerevan under the theme “Affordable and Clean Energy”.

The event took place under the high patronage of Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan and was presided over by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND). The awards recognise innovative projects promoting sustainable human development, expanding access to clean energy and improving communities’ living conditions.

Participants included His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud, Chairman of AGFUND’s Board of Directors and the Prize Committee; Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain, a member of the Prize Committee; Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan; and other distinguished guests.

In his remarks, Pashinyan highlighted the significance of holding the event in Armenia, particularly as Yerevan hosts the COP17 international biodiversity conference.

His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud said the world was facing extraordinary challenges. Conflicts, instability and humanitarian crisis continued to have a devastating impact on millions of lives.

“Since the beginning of 2026, both the states of the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf countries have faced serious attacks on their territories. Saudi Arabia continues to face this to this day. Nevertheless, despite these circumstances, the Gulf countries remain committed to promoting development and investment, both for their own people and for nations around the world. Over the decades, our countries have established institutions, expanded opportunities and supported development far beyond their borders,” the Saudi prince said.

He added that their commitment to humanity’s future did not end at their borders or cease when their own security was threatened.

“We are determined to build a better future for our peoples while standing alongside others in achieving goals and creating opportunities. Development cannot wait until the world is at peace. Through cooperation and investment in human progress, we will create the conditions necessary for lasting peace. Circumstances may change, but our responsibility does not.

“That is why we are here in Armenia. It is a great honour to be in a country whose history, culture and stability command respect far beyond its borders. Armenia has given the world distinguished poets and thinkers,” Abdulaziz bin Talal Al Saud said.

He said a person’s legacy was understood to be defined not by words or wishes, but by what they built for others and the opportunities they left behind. He stressed that, for Prince Talal, this was more than a conviction: it was a guiding principle for a meaningful life. Prince Talal translated that belief into institutions that continue to serve people around the world, including through AGFUND.

“The mission has remained the same: to recognise achievements in development, turn progressive ideas into lasting solutions and expand their impact across communities and generations. Since its establishment, 2,299 projects have been submitted for the prize, and 95 participants have been named winners. It has mobilised more than US$14 million and supported the large-scale implementation of 81 development projects across dozens of countries.

“These achievements represent new opportunities, improved living conditions and stronger communities. The projects address different challenges, but they share one important feature: they offer practical solutions that can improve lives and be adapted for use everywhere,” the Saudi prince said.

He said people’s achievements demonstrated that combining knowledge, solutions and the right support was the key to success. He stressed that the challenges facing the world required collective efforts to translate shared aspirations into results that improved people’s lives. This approach would continue to guide those behind the programme.

The ceremony honoured the organisations and individuals named as the 2025 winners. According to the organisers, Yerevan was selected to host the awards because COP17 was taking place during the same period. This coincidence highlights the close connection between the prize’s theme and international efforts to protect the environment and promote sustainable development, emphasising the role of innovative solutions in improving people’s quality of life and conserving natural resources.

Four projects offering innovative solutions in clean energy and human development received awards. They cover climate-resilient water supply systems; food security and sustainable livelihoods; technologies for producing biofuel from waste; and solar-powered irrigation services for small farms. These initiatives demonstrate how access to clean energy can help meet basic needs, expand productive capacity and improve local communities’ quality of life.

The first prize of US$400,000 went to an initiative developed and implemented in Myanmar that promotes climate-resilient, community-managed water supplies through solar-powered pumps and pipelines.

The second prize of US$300,000 went to an initiative implemented in Kenya and Somalia that makes community-based food security management more effective.

The third prize of US$200,000 went to an initiative implemented in Nigeria that uses artificial intelligence to operate biogas plants converting agricultural and food waste into clean fuel gas and electricity.

The fourth prize of US$100,000 went to an initiative developed and implemented in India that increases the efficiency of agricultural irrigation systems severalfold.

The Prince Talal Prize was established in 1999 as the AGFUND International Prize for Pioneering Human Development Projects. It is based on a vision of investing in people and encouraging innovation to overcome poverty and social exclusion. It was later renamed in honour of AGFUND founder Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, recognising his humanitarian legacy and contribution to human development.

The total prize fund of US$1 million is distributed across four categories, recognising projects implemented by UN agencies, international and regional organisations, national non-governmental organisations, government bodies, social enterprises and individuals. This diversity helps showcase different approaches to development and promote the wider adoption of successful solutions.

Since 2017, the prize’s themes have been aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In each award cycle, the committee selects a theme related to one of the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on practical initiatives that advance those goals. Continuing this approach, the next award cycle will be dedicated to “Good Health and Well-being”, recognising projects that ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages.