
ArmInfo. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity; Charles Michel, a member of the Award Committee, former President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium; and Moussa Faki Mahamat, a member of the Award Committee, former Chairperson of the African Union Commission and former Prime Minister of Chad.
According to the press service of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Mohamed Abdelsalam expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and noted that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been named the 2026 laureate of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity in recognition of his consistent efforts to advance an agenda of peace, cooperation, and stability between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The same award was also presented to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, highlighting the joint efforts to promote peace. Mohamed Abdelsalam noted that Prime Minister Pashinyan's actions in implementing this agreement serve as an example for many conflicts around the world.
"This recognition demonstrates the importance of the agreement itself as a positive step towards peace, reconciliation, and regional stability. The Zayed Peace Award marks an initiative designed to encourage and inspire world leaders to strive for lasting peace. We are confident that your actions are done from the heart, for the sake of peace, for the sake of your people, and for the sake of the entire world," said Abdelsalam, adding that this year's nominees included 350 individuals from more than 90 countries.
Prime Minister Pashinyan thanked the award committee members for their high praise and noted that it was a great honor for him to receive the Zayed Award. The head of state expressed gratitude for the recognition of the efforts made to establish peace in the region.
"Of course, this is the result of the work of many people in Armenia and, naturally, beyond its borders. Of course, I know that the President of Azerbaijan was also awarded, and we share this award. It is well- deserved. This is truly a shared achievement. Many people have worked and continue to work to establish peace: in the United States, in the EU, on various international platforms, and in Azerbaijan. And, of course, above all, this is the achievement of our political team, the government, parliament, and society, because, as you know, the implementation of any agreement would be impossible without the support of society and the people," the Prime Minister said, adding that the people of Armenia played a vital role in this entire process. Nikol Pashinyan once again thanked the guests and noted that in this way, they are making an extremely important contribution to the peace process and making it more institutionalized.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was presented with an invitation to attend the Zayed Award ceremony, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on February 4. The prize is named in honor of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the United Arab Emirates, and recognizes individuals and organizations, regardless of origin or location, who have worked tirelessly and selflessly for human fraternity and achieved significant progress toward peaceful coexistence.
Since its inception in 2019, the prize has recognized 16 laureates from 15 countries. The creation of the prize arose from the historic meeting in Abu Dhabi between the late Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, during which they jointly signed the Document on Human Fraternity.
Previous laureates include Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb of Al-Azhar, the late Pope Francis, UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres, counter-extremism activist Latifa Ibn Ziaten, Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Haitian Foundation for Knowledge and Freedom, the Community of Sant'Egidio, Kenyan peacemaker Shamsa Abubakar Fadil, Indonesian charities Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, world-renowned cardiologist Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, Chilean social activist Sister Nelly Leon Correa, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley, food aid organization World Central Kitchen, and young scientist Hemant Bekele.