3rd Zayed Human Fraternity Majlis on Feb 3, 2026 in Abu Dhabi

The 3rd International Zayed Award for Human Fraternity Majlis will take place on February 3, 2026, at the newly opened Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi. This event is organized by the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity and is held every year before the main award ceremony.

This Majlis, or gathering, is a special meeting where important leaders, experts, and young voices from around the world come together. They discuss important humanitarian issues, ways to promote friendship and understanding among people, and how to build peace everywhere. This year is special because the event will be held for the first time in the Zayed National Museum, a place that honors the history and culture of the United Arab Emirates and tells the story of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE and the person after whom the award is named.

The event will start with a session called “Female Leadership at the Heart of Human Fraternity.” Here, famous women leaders from different countries will talk about how they have worked to build friendship and stronger communities. Some of these leaders include Megawati Sukarnoputri, the first female president of Indonesia and a member of the Zayed Award judging committee; Nehmat Aoun, First Lady of Lebanon; Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, First Lady of Pakistan; Verónica Alcocer, First Lady of Colombia; and Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

The second session is called “Humanitarian Response in Action: Leading with Courage, Compassion, and Integrity.” This session will focus on how to help people affected by natural disasters and conflicts. It will talk about how groups can work together to provide fast and effective aid to those in need. Some of the speakers include José Ramos-Horta, President of East Timor and Nobel Peace Prize winner; Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, a famous Egyptian heart surgeon; Javier Garcia, CEO of World Central Kitchen and a 2025 award co-honoree; Kailash Satyarthi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and member of the 2023 judging committee; and Dr. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office in Vienna.

Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, said the Majlis is an important global platform. It allows experts and leaders to come together and find practical ways to promote values like peace, understanding, and coexistence. The goal is to fight hate and division and to create a world that is more just and caring.

The International Human Fraternity Majlis is one of the main yearly events of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. It is held to mark the International Day of Human Fraternity on February 4, which is recognized by the United Nations. This day also remembers the historic meeting on February 4, 2019, in Abu Dhabi between Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church, and Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. During this meeting, they signed the Document on Human Fraternity, supported by the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is also a supporter of human fraternity.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is a global humanitarian award that honors people and groups from all backgrounds. It recognizes those who work hard to promote important values such as solidarity, fairness, and hope. In its seventh year, the award ceremony will be held on February 4, 2026, at the Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi. This year, the award will honor the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, represented by their leaders President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. It will also recognize Zarqa Yaftali, an advocate for education for Afghan girls, and the Palestinian humanitarian group Taawon.