UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gutteres, announced on Wednesday his decision to donate the prize of $500,000 received upon acceptance of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Zayed Award of Human Fraternity, named in honor of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, the late ruler of Abu Dhabi and founder of the United Arab Emirates, recognizes outstanding work by individuals or entities worldwide in creating breakthroughs and driving human progress. Hosted annually at the Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi, the 2021 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity has also awarded this year Morrocan-French activist, Latifa Ibn Ziaten.
UNHCR’s Senior Advisor on Islamic Philanthropy and Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries, Khaled Khalifa stated on this occasion, “We are immensely grateful for the UN secretary general for his generosity and unwavering commitment to supporting the world’s most marginalized populations. This generous gesture of solidarity with refugees and forcibly displaced people comes at a critical time as the world continues to face the COVID-19 and economic crisis, which has severely affected displaced communities.”
Khalifa added: “The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is a message of hope and unity in this time of extreme hardship. I would like to take this opportunity to renew our pledge to the human fraternity bond that brings us together as we continue to honor the values of inclusion and solidarity with refugees and the forcibly displaced through our daily work. We are grateful for the United Arab Emirates for pioneering this award, which is a testament to its efforts and dedication towards building bridges and promoting mutual understanding to achieve peace and inclusivity for all.”
