Haitian humanitarian organisation FOKAL also recognised for 2022 award
Abu Dhabi: The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has today announced King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan as honorees of the 2022 award, alongside Haitian humanitarian organisation FOKAL.
Inspired by the co-signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Abu Dhabi in 2019, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and patron of human fraternity, the award recognises the honorees for their contributions towards building a more peaceful, harmonious and compassionate world based on the values of human fraternity.
This year’s award was decided by an independent judging committee, composed of former heads of state, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and experts in interfaith and intercultural dialogue drawn from around the world.
Individual awardees
As leader of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, King Abdullah II has been recognised for his instrumental role in promoting interfaith dialogue across the Middle East, addressing divisions among Muslims and fostering harmonious relations between East and West.
Her Majesty Queen Rania has been honoured for her passionate advocacy for refugee rights around the world and consistent efforts to promote tolerance and acceptance through philanthropic initiatives. In recent decades, Jordan has opened its doors to millions of refugees and remains one of the few places where refugees can freely move, receive education, and benefit from government services.
Humanitarian organisation
FOKAL, a Haitian humanitarian organisation founded in 1995, was recognised by the judging committee for playing a vital role in shaping Haiti’s youth and supporting its hard-working communities at the grass roots level. The organisation runs a wide range of programmes and initiatives aimed at serving the common good and building a more prosperous and harmonious society in one of the world’s poorest countries.
“The judging committee for the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity conducted a review of the humanitarian efforts of more than 200 personalities and institutions nominated this year. Each candidate proved to be a source of inspiration and true epitome of human fraternity, following in the footsteps of the late founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,” said Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, secretary-general of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity.
Fulfilling the aspirations of Document on Human Fraternity
He added that the awardees were selected as a culmination of their tireless efforts in promoting the values advocated for, and contained in, the historic Document on Human Fraternity co-signed by Pope Francis and Al-Tayeb, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and patron of human fraternity.
Established in 2019, the award is organised by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, an independent international committee instituted to promote human fraternity values in communities around the world and thus fulfil the aspirations of the Document on Human Fraternity. It is named in honour of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, to celebrate his legacy of championing peaceful coexistence.