The Light of Brotherhood Can Overcome the Darkness of Fratricide: Pope Francis on Aliyev and Pashinyan

The winners of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity, including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Afghan activist Zarka Yaftali, inspire hope in a world where walls are often built instead of bridges.

This was stated in a message from Pope Francis, addressing the laureates of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity.

“Today, through the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity, we pay tribute to those who turn these values into true examples of human compassion and charity. Our laureates—Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Zarka Yaftali—provide hope in a world where walls are often constructed in place of bridges. By choosing the difficult path of solidarity over indifference, they have demonstrated that even the most deeply rooted disagreements can be healed through concrete actions. Their work proves that the light of brotherhood can overcome the darkness of fratricide,” said Pope Francis.

“Finally, I express my gratitude to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his unwavering support of this initiative, as well as my appreciation to the Zayed Committee for its vision and moral stance. Let us continue to work together to ensure that brotherly love becomes a solution for all,” the Pope added.