The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity today opened nominations for its 2024 award – an independent global prize honoring individuals and entities of all backgrounds working selflessly and tirelessly to advance solidarity, integrity, fairness, and optimism, and create breakthroughs towards peaceful coexistence.

The award – which includes a USD $1 million financial prize - launched in 2019 to mark the historic meeting in Abu Dhabi between His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb, during which the two leaders co-signed the Document on Human Fraternity.

Zayed Award for Human Fraternity Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam said: “As the 2024 edition of the award begins, we call for nominations of people and organizations who are advancing human fraternity at all levels of society, inspiring others to serve the common good, and changing our world for the better.”

Eligible nominators can submit nominations through the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity’s official website: https://zayedaward.org/.

Nominations will be accepted until October 1, 2023. An independent judging committee of experts in peacebuilding and coexistence will review the nominations and select the honoree(s).

The recipient(s) will be honored during a ceremony to be held on February 4, 2024 – coinciding with the UN-recognized International Day of Human Fraternity and the anniversary of the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.

Since the award’s inception, leaders, activists, and humanitarian organizations from around the world have been honored including: Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (honorary recipient); the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb (honorary recipient); UN Secretary-General António Guterres; activist against extremism Latifa Ibn Ziaten; His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and his wife, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah; Haitian humanitarian organization the Foundation for Knowledge and Liberty (FOKAL); the Community of Sant’Egidio organization; and Kenyan peacebuilder Shamsa Abubakar Fadhil.