President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has been named a recipient of the 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, organizers announced Sunday, recognizing the recent peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The award, established by the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, will honor the landmark peace accord signed in 2025 that aims to end nearly four decades of tension between the two Caucasus neighbors. The agreement on establishing peace and normalizing inter-state relations marks what observers consider a significant diplomatic development in a region long marked by conflict.
“This year, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity committee selected the historic peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which embodies the award’s mission and objectives in promoting and fostering a culture of dialogue and coexistence,” said Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the award and member of the judging committee.
An independent panel of international experts in dialogue and coexistence selected this year’s honorees. The committee described the agreement as representing a shift from decades of hostility toward cooperation, built through confidence-building measures and humanitarian initiatives.
The foundation emphasized that the recognition acknowledges peace as “a sustained journey” rather than a singular achievement, noting the ongoing process of dialogue and normalization between the two states.
President Aliyev will be honored at a ceremony on February 4 at the Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi, coinciding with the UN-recognized International Day of Human Fraternity.
The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity was established to recognize individuals and organizations that advance coexistence and understanding across different communities worldwide. /// nCa,19 January 2026 (photo credit – Azertac)