Palestinian non-profit organisation Taawon has been announced as the third winner of the UAE's annual $1 million humanitarian prize.
The organisation will be honoured with the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, alongside the architects of the historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Afghan girls’ education advocate Zarqa Yaftali.
Taawon was selected in recognition of its humanitarian and developmental work, which touches the lives of over one million people annually across Palestine.
Since its establishment in 1983, Taawon has invested more than $1 billion across various initiatives including education, youth empowerment, orphan care, cultural projects, rehabilitation of historic towns and community development, covering health, agriculture and emergency humanitarian assistance.
The organisation has implemented over 8,200 projects that empower Palestinians, Abu Dhabi Media Office reported.
The three winners will receive their awards at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi next month.
What is the award?
The global prize was established after the late Pope Francis's landmark visit to the UAE in 2019.
The 2026 winners were selected by an independent global judging committee comprising: Charles Michel, former president of the European Council and previous prime minister of Belgium; Moussa Faki Mahamat, former chairman of the African Union Commission and former prime minister of Chad; Unicef executive director Catherine Russell; Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the administration of the President of Uzbekistan; Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education at the Holy See, and Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity.
The 2026 recipients will be honoured on February 4 – coinciding with the UN-recognised International Day of Human Fraternity – at the annual awards ceremony to be held at Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi.
Since 2019, the awards committee has honoured 19 recipients from 19 countries, including honorary winners Pope Francis and Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, The Grand Imam of Al Azhar, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Egyptian cardiac surgeon Prof Sir Magdi Yacoub and American food relief organisation World Central Kitchen.
