For a peaceful and compassionate world

“During these years we have journeyed as brothers and sisters, mindful that while respecting our different cultures and traditions, we must build fraternity in order to overcome hatred, violence and injustice”, Pope Francis said in a video message kicking off the ceremony for the presentation of the 2024 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, on Monday evening, 5 February. The ceremony took place in Abu Dhabi’s Founder’s Memorial, where five years earlier, on 4 February, the Pontiff and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Al-Tayyib, had signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.

This year’s recipients were Sister Nelly León Correa from Chile, heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub from Egypt, and the Indonesian Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah. Instituted to recognize those who promote a more peaceful, harmonious and compassionate world, the Award is inspired by the values enshrined in the Document on Human Fraternity.

Also appearing in the same video message shown at the beginning of the awards ceremony, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Tayyib commended his “brother Francis” for his constant commitment to promoting the joint Declaration of Abu Dhabi and for his “continuous and commendable efforts in support of the poor and needy, in support of the oppressed and the persecuted and for the promotion of the spirit of fraternity and peace among all”. Indeed, he added, “today’s world is in no less need of reliving the supreme moral principles contained in the Document on Human Fraternity”.

Pope Francis thanked the recipients “for their solidary efforts in favour of the development of humanity and for promoting peaceful coexistence”, adding that their example will be an inspiration for others to “undertake initiatives arising from fruitful cooperation between people of different religions that serve our whole human family, respect the dignity of each and promote the values proposed by the Document on Human Fraternity”. He concluded by encouraging them to “continue to sow peace!”.

Meanwhile, the Grand Imam offered a special greeting to his compatriot Sir Magdi Yacoub, describing him as “an example of investing what Allah has given him, in terms of knowledge and skills, to save children from certain dangers and offer them the chance at a new, healthy life”. He added: “You will always be a source of pride for every Egyptian and every Arab”.

Al-Tayyib praised Sister Nelly’s work “supporting and embracing Chilean women, especially those in prison, and providing them assistance to restore their confidence, safeguard their rights and dignity, meet their needs and those of their families, and provide housing to people in poverty at the time of their release”. Lastly, he congratulated the Nahdlatul Ulama and the Muhammadiyah organizations, from “the beloved and dear Indonesia”, for the award received, “which crowns their efforts in the fields of humanitarian work, peace building at the local, regional and global levels, and of development of Indonesian society, through financing the construction of schools and hospitals, managing charity projects and supporting the poor and needy”. The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar prayed that their “joint efforts for the well-being of the poor, the needy and the vulnerable” would continue to grow so that they may “continue to alleviate their suffering and preserve their dignity”.

Ahmed Al-Tayyib expressed gratitude to the memory of Sheik Zayed bin Nahyan, founder of the United Arab Emirates, after whom the Award is named. “This award draws its strength and continuity — after God Almighty — from the esteemed figure of the Arabs, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan”, he said, adding that the award “reflects the diligent efforts and continuous approach of the United Arab Emirates in spreading the culture of fraternity and global peace”.

Speaking during the ceremony, Sister Nelly León, explained that she had chosen to be a sister to women deprived of their freedom, so that “society may see them and treat them fraternally”. She also spoke of her relationship with the women in prison, with whom she shares a motherly love that they have never known. “They are witnesses to how much they want to be loved, respected and dignified, which is no different from what I and all of us want in life”, said the President of the “Mujer Levántate” (Woman, Arise) Foundation. “When they discover that they are worthy of love, they realize that they too can offer their children the love that had been withheld from them when they were young”.

Yahya Cholil Staquf, President of the Indonesian association Nahdlatul Ulama, took advantage of the opportunity to “invite people of good will of all faiths and nations to join us in the construction of a global movement, to benefit the birth of a world order that is truly just and harmonious, based on the respect of equal rights and of the dignity of all human beings”.

Addressing ceremony participants, Sir Magdi Yacoub, founder of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation in Egypt, and the Chain of Hope charitable organisation in the uk, said he was honoured “to be a small part in this great endeavour uniting people from all over the world to treat everyone with fairness and integrity and not discriminate between people”.

Alessandro di Bussolo