Vatican city: His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church, met yesterday at the Vatican with the jury of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2026 to discuss the urgent need to take practical steps to promote the principles of human fraternity. The meeting emphasized the role played by the award in demonstrating that “every human being and every religion is called to promote fraternity.”
According to Emirates News Agency, during the meeting, the founding moment of the award was recalled, highlighting the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by the late His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders. In this context, Pope Leo XIV affirmed that the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity embodies the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He expressed pleasure in meeting the jury members, acknowledging their efforts in serving human fraternity.
The jury of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, an independent global award that honors individuals and organizations working to entrench the values of human fraternity, convened in Rome as part of an annual tradition. The jury for the award’s seventh edition in 2026 includes Charles Michel, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Catherine Russell, Saida Mirziyoyeva, His Eminence Cardinal Jos© Tolentino de Mendon§a, and Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam.
Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam noted that the meeting reaffirmed the shared conviction that the award has become a global platform serving humanity. Catherine Russell emphasized priorities such as protecting vulnerable groups, especially children. Cardinal Tolentino highlighted the Holy See’s commitment to the values of the Document on Human Fraternity, while Charles Michel and Moussa Faki Mahamat spoke on the importance of dialogue and human dignity. Saida Mirziyoyeva expressed renewed faith in a future rooted in compassion and inclusion.
Following the meeting, the jury reviewed nominations for the 2026 edition. The selected honouree or honourees will receive a prize of US$1 million and will be honored in Abu Dhabi on 4th February 2026, marking the International Day of Human Fraternity. Earlier, the jury held meetings in Cairo with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar as part of its program to review nominations and engage with religious and cultural institutions.