How the Zayed Award amplifies the work of its honorees to further their humanitarian missions

Special How the Zayed Award amplifies the work of its honorees to further their humanitarian missions
The honorees for 2025. (Supplied)
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Updated 04 February 2025
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How the Zayed Award amplifies the work of its honorees to further their humanitarian missions

How the Zayed Award amplifies the work of its honorees to further their humanitarian missions
  • This year’s award recognizes Barbados PM Mia Mottley, World Central Kitchen, and young innovator Heman Bekele
  • By receiving the award in 2024, surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub has been able to expand his life-saving care to underserved communities

DUBAI: In a world grappling with crises ranging from conflict and humanitarian emergencies to economic vulnerability and climate change, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity stands as a beacon of hope.

Since its establishment in 2019, the award, which includes a $1 million prize, has recognized individuals and organizations whose work embodies the universal values of peace, solidarity, and human dignity.




The trophies for the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. (Supplied)

This year, the 2025 honorees — Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, humanitarian relief organization World Central Kitchen, and 15-year-old health innovator Heman Bekele — have each demonstrated a commitment to making the world a better place.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, named in honor of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the late founder of the UAE, has become a symbol of recognizing and amplifying transformative humanitarian efforts worldwide.

The award is one of the outcomes of the dialogue between the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb and Pope Francis, which led to the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi in 2019.




With Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L) as witness, Pope Francis (C) and Egypt's Al Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb sign documents during the Human Fraternity Meeting at the Founders Memorial in Abu Dhabi on February 4, 2019. (AFP)

 




Egyptian-British cardiothoracic surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub meeting with Pope Francis during last year's edition of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. (Supplied)




Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb congratulates Sir Magdi Yacoub during last year's awarding ceremonies. (Supplied) 

This year’s three recipients will be honored at a ceremony at the Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4.

The selection process for the annual award is rigorous, with an independent jury reviewing hundreds of nominations from individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing human fraternity.

“It is the judging committee’s honor to spotlight three outstanding honorees who are addressing some of today’s most urgent challenges — climate resilience, humanitarian relief, and youth-driven innovation,” Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, secretary-general of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, said in a statement.

2025 HONOREES

• Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has long advocated for climate resilience, global financial reform, and renewable energy.

• World Central Kitchen has provided more than 300 million meals in crisis zones, including 70 million meals in Gaza since 2023.

• Heman Bekele developed an affordable soap to treat early-stage skin cancer, demonstrating the power of youth-led solutions in healthcare. 

“This year’s recipients demonstrate that transformative work can be undertaken at any age, in any place in the world, and in any field.”

Mottley has gained international recognition for her relentless advocacy in addressing climate change and her leadership in pushing for financial reform to support vulnerable nations.

Her efforts through the Bridgetown Initiative — a bold call for restructuring global financial systems — aim to ensure that developing nations have equitable access to climate resilience funding.

“She has committed to achieving 100 percent renewable energy for Barbados by 2030, investing in solar, wind, and other clean energy sources,” the award committee said in a statement.




Through her persistent advocacy, Barbados PM Mia Amor Mottley (shown on screen) has helped enable nations burdened by debt to reallocate funds toward climate adaptation and sustainability projects. (Supplied)

By pioneering debt-for-climate swaps, Mottley has enabled nations burdened by debt to reallocate funds toward climate adaptation and sustainability projects.

The award committee said Mottley’s leadership is a testament to how governance, when rooted in sustainability and equity, can create lasting change, and that her selection reinforces the global urgency of addressing climate change as an issue of human fraternity and justice.

Also among this year’s honorees is World Central Kitchen. Founded by Jose Andres in 2010, the charity has redefined humanitarian relief by providing immediate, fresh, and locally-sourced meals to people affected by disasters and crises.




World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres attends an interfaith memorial service for the seven WCK workers killed in Gaza, at the Washington National Cathedral, in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2024. (AFP)

With more than 300 million meals served in over 30 countries, WCK’s work has proven essential in responding to humanitarian emergencies.

A particularly poignant example of the charity’s impact came in 2023 and 2024 when WCK delivered more than 70 million meals to Palestinians in Gaza, collaborating with local chefs and suppliers to ensure swift and effective relief under challenging circumstances.




Volunteers of the World Central Kitchen cook meals to be distributed to needy Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)

“Through collaborations — including with the UAE — and its innovative ‘first-on-the-ground’ approach, WCK has demonstrated its capabilities in providing meals to the people who need them most,” the award committee said.

The organization’s commitment to dignity and community resilience has earned it admiration worldwide. By working alongside local communities, WCK ensures that its relief efforts do not just provide temporary aid but strengthen long-term food security.

In a first for the Zayed Award, a youth category was introduced this year to honor the contributions of the next generation.

At just 15 years of age, Ethiopian-American innovator Heman Bekele has already made a significant contribution to global healthcare.




Hemen Bekele competing in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2023. (Instagram)

In 2024, at the age of 14, he developed a cost-effective soap to help prevent and treat early-stage skin cancer, a breakthrough that earned him TIME’s “Kid of the Year” and various accolades in science competitions.

Now working alongside researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Bekele aims to scale up his innovation to reach communities most in need.

“His ambition to save lives and his vision of accessible and affordable healthcare” were central to his selection as the first youth honoree of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, the award committee said.

Bekele’s work exemplifies the award’s commitment to recognizing contributions at any age. Indeed, his inclusion sends a strong message that the next generation is not just the future of humanitarian innovation but an active and powerful force in the present.

Since its inception, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has sought to amplify the voices and initiatives of individuals and organizations that inspire hope and action.

“Beyond recognizing outstanding contributions to human solidarity and fraternity, the award actively fosters global dialogue through dedicated platforms,” Abdelsalam, the award’s secretary general, told Arab News.

One such initiative is the Human Fraternity Majlis, which brings together global leaders, Nobel laureates, and youth representatives to explore solutions to pressing global challenges.




Last year’s winner Sir Magdi Yacoub mee other winners nof the Fraterniuty Awadrd (Supplied)

Another is the annual Zayed Award for Human Fraternity Roundtable, which provides a space for honorees and judges to collaborate on advancing the principles of human fraternity worldwide.

“In just five years, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has grown into a worldwide movement that encourages collaboration, fraternity, and communication between individuals from different cultures, religions, and backgrounds,” said Abdelsalam.

“Millions of people worldwide have benefited from the projects spearheaded by past honorees.”

AWARD IMPACT

* Since receiving the award in 2024, Egyptian-British cardiothoracic surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub has been able to expand his life-saving care to underserved communities.

The award does not just celebrate achievements — it actively supports and expands their reach. A striking example of this is last year’s honoree, renowned cardiac surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub.

His groundbreaking work in heart surgery and his initiatives to provide life-saving care to underserved communities were amplified through the award’s recognition.

With financial backing from the Zayed Award, Yacoub expanded his work to establish the Rwanda Heart Center in Kigali — a project modeled after his successful Aswan Heart Centre in Egypt.

“The prize means we can do more research, speed up the building of the Rwanda Heart Centre, and continue making an impact,” Yacoub said in 2024.




Sir Magdi Yacoub visiting a patient at the Rwanda Heart Centre. (Courtesy of My Heart Centre Rwanda)

Such outcomes highlight the real-world impact of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. It is not merely an honor — it is an investment in solutions that drive tangible change.

In recognizing Mottley, WCK, and Bekele, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity reaffirms the importance of leadership, innovation, and service to humanity.

Whether through shaping climate policy, feeding those in crisis, or developing life-saving healthcare solutions, these honorees exemplify what it means to act for the greater good.

As the 2025 ceremony approaches, the award serves as a reminder that impactful change can come from governments, non-profits, or even a determined teenager with a vision for a better world.

More than ever, these efforts need to be celebrated, supported, and replicated. Or, as Abdelsalam put it: “Now more than ever, these contributions serve as a beacon of hope in a world facing increasing division.”
 

 


Oman to to take part in London Design Biennale for first time

Oman to to take part in London Design Biennale for first time
Updated 3 sec ago
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Oman to to take part in London Design Biennale for first time

Oman to to take part in London Design Biennale for first time
  • Omani architect Haitham Al-Bousafi will showcase a work titled ‘Memory Network’ at the event in June

LONDON: Oman will participate in the London Design Biennale, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, for the first time this year.

Omani architect Haitham Al-Bousafi will showcase a work titled “Memory Network” at event venue Somerset House in central London, overlooking the River Thames, the Oman News Agency reported.

The country is participating at the biennale as part of its efforts to showcase Omani culture and heritage on a global stage as part of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth initiatives, officials said.

Oman’s cultural strategy for 2021-2040 aims to foster innovation and cultural diversity through the promotion of the arts and design as pathways to sustainable development and creative communication, the news agency added.

The 5th London Design Biennale will run from June 5 to 29.


Red Cross says office in Gaza damaged in ‘attack’

Smoke rises from Israeli bombardment west of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Israeli bombardment west of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
Updated 47 min 43 sec ago
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Red Cross says office in Gaza damaged in ‘attack’

Smoke rises from Israeli bombardment west of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
  • ICRC said in a statement that the incident had a direct impact on the humanitarian organization’s ability to operate
  • Israel resumed intensive bombing of Gaza last week

GENEVA: The International Committee of the Red Cross said an ICRC office in the southern Gaza Strip was damaged by an explosive projectile on Monday, adding that no staff were wounded.
The ICRC said in a statement that the incident had a direct impact on the humanitarian organization’s ability to operate.
“Today, an office of the ICRC in Rafah was damaged by an explosive projectile despite being clearly marked and notified to all parties,” the statement said.
“Fortunately, no staff were injured in this incident, but this has a direct impact on the ICRC’s ability to operate. The ICRC strongly decries the attack against its premises.”
The Geneva-based ICRC said international humanitarian law afforded special protection to humanitarian relief and medical personnel, medical facilities, and objects used for humanitarian relief operations.
“They must be respected and protected in all circumstances to ensure the continuity of care. They must never be attacked,” the ICRC said.
“The parties must do their utmost to ensure their safety by providing clear and strict instructions to weapon bearers.”
The ICRC said that on Sunday contact was lost with emergency medical technicians from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Furthermore, humanitarian workers in Gaza were killed and injured last week, it added.
Israel’s military pressed ground operations across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, encircling part of Rafah city near the Egyptian border, almost a week into a renewed assault on the Palestinian territory.
Israel resumed intensive bombing of Gaza last week, citing deadlock in indirect negotiations on next steps in the truce with Hamas after its first stage expired this month.
“The escalation of hostilities in Gaza over the past week has had significant humanitarian impacts, with hundreds of civilians killed, some of whom remain buried under rubble while others have been left behind unable to be rescued,” the ICRC said.
“New evacuation orders and intense hostilities are causing people to flee without a clear sense of areas that are safe, and many people have nowhere else to go. Many have been forced to leave behind their tents and belongings.
“The resumption of hostilities and violence is causing a loss of hope on all sides.”


UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem

UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem
Updated 53 min 13 sec ago
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UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem

UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem
  • Omar Abu Zayda, director general of Al-Makassed Hospital, thanks the nation for its ongoing support and says it has consistently stood by the Palestinian people
  • The grant will help fund operational expenses, upgrades and staff wages, and enable the World Health Organization to provide essential medicines and other supplies

LONDON: The UAE has awarded a $64.5 million grant to Al-Makassed Hospital, a key medical institution serving Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem.

The support, which will help fund operational expenses, facility upgrades and wages for medical staff, was approved under the directives of the Emirati president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the Emirates News Agency reported.

Omar Abu Zayda, the director general of Al-Makassed Hospital, thanked the UAE for its ongoing support.

“The UAE’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian healthcare sector allows us to sustain our operations and fulfill our duties efficiently,” he said.

“Since its founding by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the UAE has consistently stood by the Palestinian people, particularly in Jerusalem.”

The grant is particularly significant because it will help to enhance healthcare services, particularly for women and children, Abu Zayda added.

Al-Makassed Hospital, located on the Mount of Olives, serves more than 66,000 people in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Established in 1968, a few months after Israeli forces occupied the city, it has more than 250 beds and employs about 950 medical and administrative staff. It also operates a specialized residency program for training, from which more than 540 medical specialists have graduated.

Sheikh Theyab bin Mohammed Al-Nahyan, the chairperson of the UAE’s International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council, reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to support for all members of Palestinian society.

Tareq Ahmed Al-Ameri, who chairs the UAE Aid Agency, said authorities in the country continue to collaborate with international organizations to help enhance healthcare services in East Jerusalem and Gaza.

“Al-Makassed Hospital … is a crucial medical facility, specializing in cardiac surgeries, pediatric and orthopedic clinics, medical research, and comprehensive healthcare services,” he added.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, said the Emirati support for the hospital enables the WHO to provide essential medicines and other medical supplies.

It will also enable Al-Makassed to “scale up its medical imaging capacity, improve the obstetrics and gynecology department, and help to train over 100 residents across 11 specialties,” he added.


Palestinian NGO says teen dies in Israeli prison

Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmad. (Ahmad family photo)
Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmad. (Ahmad family photo)
Updated 24 March 2025
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Palestinian NGO says teen dies in Israeli prison

Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmad. (Ahmad family photo)
  • One of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli custody, Ahmad was 63rd Palestinian inmate to die in Israeli jail since the Oct. 2023 outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war

RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Prisoners Club advocacy group said Monday that a teenage inmate died in an Israeli jail, decrying a spike in deaths in custody since the start of the Gaza war.
In a statement, the group announced the death of Walid Khaled Abdullah Ahmad, 17, in Meggido prison in northern Israel under unknown circumstances.
Israel’s Prison Service said in a statement that a 17-year-old prisoner had died Sunday at the facility.
“His health condition is covered by medical confidentiality,” the statement said.
One of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli custody, Ahmad was the 63rd Palestinian inmate to die in an Israeli jail since the October 2023 outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Prisoners Club.
The advocacy group said Ahmad, from the town of Silwad near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, was detained on September 30. It was not clear what led to his arrest.
The Prisoners Club said that a “growing number” of detainees have died in Israeli custody due to “systematic abuses” throughout the Gaza war.
“This period has been the deadliest in the history of the Palestinian prisoners’ movement since 1967,” it said, referring to the year Israel seized Palestinian territories including the West Bank in a war.
Rights groups including Israel’s B’Tselem have documented numerous deaths of Palestinians in Israeli prisons during the Gaza war.
B’Tselem has also reported worsening detention conditions for Palestinians, including “systematic mistreatment” and “torture,” which Israeli authorities have denied.
The Prisoners Club said in September there were at least 250 Palestinian minors in Israeli custody.
According to non-government group Defense for Children International Palestine, “each year approximately 500-700 Palestinian children, some as young as 12 years old, are detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. The most common charge is stone-throwing.”


Lebanon contacts US to avert threat of Israel strikes on capital

Residents check the site of Saturday’s Israeli airstrike in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP
Residents check the site of Saturday’s Israeli airstrike in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP
Updated 24 March 2025
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Lebanon contacts US to avert threat of Israel strikes on capital

Residents check the site of Saturday’s Israeli airstrike in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP
  • Israel launched air strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing eight people, in response to rocket fire that hit its territory for first time since Nov. 27

BEIRUT: Lebanese leaders have been in intensive contact with Washington and Paris to prevent Israel from bombing Beirut, a Lebanese official said Monday, after heavy Israeli strikes on the country at the weekend.
Israel launched air strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing eight people, in response to rocket fire that hit its territory for the first time since a ceasefire took effect on November 27.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that following rocket fire on Metula, a town in northern Israel, “Metula’s fate is the same as Beirut’s.”
The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam “made diplomatic contact with France and the United States... as well as with the UN to achieve de-escalation following Israeli threats to target Beirut.”
The US, France and the United Nations belong to a ceasefire monitoring mechanism.
During two months of full-scale war leading up to the ceasefire, Israeli air strikes pounded the south Beirut bastion of Iran-backed Hezbollah but sometimes also struck in the city center.
Salam “emphasized the need to control security and prevent a repeat of rocket fire” against Israel, the official added.
No party has claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, which a military source said was launched from an area north of the Litani River, between the villages of Kfar Tebnit and Arnoun, near the zone covered by the ceasefire agreement.
The agreement stipulates that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers may be deployed south of the Litani River, with Hezbollah required to dismantle its infrastructure and withdraw north of the river.
Israel missed two deadlines to withdraw all its forces across the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border, and continues to hold five positions it deems “strategic.”
Hezbollah denied involvement in the rocket fire.
The Lebanese army said later it dismantled three makeshift rocket batteries in the area, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Israeli border.
A military source told AFP the army detained two Syrians who were “working as guards at a farm near the rocket-launching site.”
The Syrians reported seeing a car with several men who set up the launchers and fired the rockets before leaving.
The war severely weakened Hezbollah, which remains a target of Israeli air strikes despite the ceasefire.