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The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity hosted its third annual roundtable, featuring past and present award honorees – as well as current and former judging committee members – to strengthen collaboration, exchange ideas, and merge efforts towards advancing solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
Moderated by CNN’s Caroline Faraj and chaired by the award’s Secretary-General Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, participants included Commonwealth Secretary-General the Right Honourable Patricia Scotland; Director-General of the World Trade Organisation Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala; Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Social Sciences Cardinal Peter Turkson; former Vice President of Costa Rica Epsy Campbell Barr; former President of Central African Republic Catherine Samba-Panza, as well as the 2025 award honorees: World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore and 15-year-old innovator Heman Bekele.
This year’s discussions focused on strengthening efforts and collaboration to promote the values upheld by the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. As a global platform, the award recognises and honours individuals and institutions making remarkable contributions to advancing human fraternity.
The session provided participants with a platform to lead initiatives that align with the award’s vision and address the challenges of fostering human fraternity across diverse communities.
Judge Abdelsalam said the award aims to create a global platform uniting all those who believe in goodwill, coexistence, and peace, transcending differences for a greater future. “Our world is increasingly recognising that the only path to peace is through collaboration that transcends conflict and differences.”
Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and 2025 Judging Committee Member Patricia Scotland said, “Human fraternity is bound by the very important value of love, which requires us to speak to one another, to accept one another and to treat others as you would your own and to collaborate for the sake of peace and compassion.”
For her part, the Chief Executive Officer of World Central Kitchen and 2025 co-honoree stated, “People often do not take the initiative to act for good because of challenges, rules, or barriers. We must extend the invite of human fraternity beyond these barriers, and encourage others to extend a helping hand.”
Heman Bekele, 15-year-old innovator and 2025 co-honoree, said, “Youth need to be given a place at the table, we need to be heard and included. I’ve seen first-hand the power of innovation and collaboration. I strongly believe that if we continue the work we have started as a Zayed Award family, the world will become a better place for all.”
The roundtable discussions highlighted that human fraternity begins in the home and is nurtured in schools, where education and cultural understanding lay the foundation for solidarity.
Participants emphasised the importance of building a global network of human fraternity ambassadors – one that thrives on unity and embraces diversity as a source of strength.