The Abu Dhabi Government Media Office reported that the Grand Imam, Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pope of the Catholic Church, received this week the plaque of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity, which is one of the most important independent global awards that celebrates the efforts of individuals and entities who make great contributions. Towards the progress of humanity and the promotion of peaceful coexistence.
The award was established in February 2019 to commemorate the historic meeting between His Holiness Pope Francis, Pope of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and patron of human fraternity, as the two great symbols signed the Human Fraternity Document, and became the first honorary winners of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity.
The shields were presented by the President of the Higher Committee’s Meetings, Cardinal Miguel Ayuso, and the Secretary-General of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, Counselor Mohamed Abdel Salam, an independent international committee established to promote the values of human fraternity in societies around the world, and to achieve the aspirations of the Human Fraternity Document..
Pope Francis and Imam Al-Tayyeb expressed their happiness with the efforts of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, which oversees the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity, and appealed to the jury of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity 2022 to continue the spirit of the Document on Human Fraternity through their work and efforts.
The Human Fraternity Award is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may God have mercy on him), the founder of the United Arab Emirates, and the values the award celebrates reflect Sheikh Zayed’s dedication to working closely with people of different backgrounds and cultures, and his moral legacy. His humanity, respect and help for others, regardless of their religion, gender or race.
Each year, the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity is judged by an independent jury selected by the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity. At the beginning of this week, members of the jury of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity in its third 2022 session held meetings with His Holiness Pope Francis and the Grand Imam, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, respectively, in the Vatican, Rome.
The jury includes former President of the Republic of Niger, Mohamedou Issoufou, winner of the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership in 2020, former President of East Timor, José Ramos Horta, winner of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, and former Vice President of South Africa and former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Cardinal Michael Czerny, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under-Secretary for the Department of Migrants and Refugees at the Holy See, and Dr. Leah Bessar, Head of the Aladdin Project Initiative, as well as the Secretary-General of the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, Counselor Mohamed Abdel Salam.