Under the patronage of the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity ceremony, recognizing the 2024 honorees of the award’s fifth edition.
The award ceremony coincided with the celebration of the International Day of Human Fraternity and recognized world-renowned cardiac surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub; Indonesian humanitarian organizations Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah; and Chilean NGO founder Sister Nelly Leon Correa as honorees of the 2024 award. The award honors individuals and organizations from around the world who are working to advance solidarity, integrity, fairness, and optimism at the local and international levels and create breakthroughs towards peaceful coexistence.
Held at the Founder’s Memorial under the theme “Tales of Light”, the award ceremony was attended by His Excellency Josè Ramos-Horta, President of East Timor; His Excellency Ma’ruf Amin, Vice President of Indonesia; His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan;, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence ; His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy. Additionally, present were His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State; His Excellency Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi. The event was held in the presence of Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri, Head of International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court; His Excellency Mugheer Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohamed Bin Butti, Head of the National Media Office. Moreover, a number of senior UAE officials, ambassadors, and the award’s judging committee members, and international figures attended the ceremony.
The ceremony featured video remarks from His Holiness Pope Francis; His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb; His Excellency Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia; and His Excellency Alberto van Klaveren Stork, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Chile.
Commenting on this formidable occasion, His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb said, “This award draws its strength and continuity – after God Almighty – from the esteemed figure of the Arabs, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him and grant him peace. It reflects the diligent efforts and continuous approach of the United Arab Emirates in spreading the culture of fraternity and global peace.”
He added, “I would also like to extend my sincere congratulations to Sir Magdi Yacoub, the esteemed cardiologist, for his well-deserved recognition with the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. His enduring legacy will continue to inspire pride among Egyptians and Arabs alike.”
Furthermore, His Holiness Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church said, “Those who have been awarded the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2024 are recognized for their united commitment to the progress of humanity and promotion of peaceful coexistence. I trust that their example has meant an incentive for others to undertake initiatives born of fruitful collaboration among people of different religions at the service of all humanity.”
For his part, Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam said, “Our 2024 independent judging committee reviewed hundreds of nominations of inspiring and impactful individuals and organizations. This year’s honorees are true champions of human fraternity across cultures, countries, and fields. This year’s honorees demonstrate that the award has truly become a global initiative and a significant platform to advance the values of human fraternity.”
World-renowned cardiac surgeon, Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub said, “I am honored to be a small part in this great endeavor uniting people from all over the world to treat everyone with fairness and integrity and not discriminate between people. I look forward to working with the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity team to achieve our shared objectives.”
