Pope Leo XIV Marks Human Fraternity Day by Honoring Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Accord

Pope Leo XIV delivered his inaugural message for the International Day of Human Fraternity on February 4, 2026, using the occasion to recognize the architects of the recent peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The day also featured the presentation of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2026, which specifically honored the diplomatic breakthrough achieved in the Caucasus. Pope Leo XIV stated that fraternity is a concrete, daily commitment rather than an abstract concept, emphasizing that profound historical divisions can yield to tangible reconciliation efforts.

The ceremony, held during the Pope's General Audience, celebrated the landmark peace agreement initialed on August 8, 2025, which formally concluded the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The award recognized key political figures, including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, alongside humanitarian recipients. The Pope referred to the recognized leaders as "sowers of hope," reinforcing the conviction that fraternity supersedes the logic of conflict. This recognition aligns with the seventh anniversary of the 2019 Document on Human Fraternity, signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb.

The Zayed Award ceremony took place at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi, UAE, attended by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In addition to the geopolitical reconciliation, the award honored Zarqa Yaftali for her work supporting Afghan girls' education and the Palestinian humanitarian organization Taawon for its aid efforts. This dual recognition underscores the award’s mandate to acknowledge both high-level conflict resolution and grassroots humanitarian service.

President Aliyev noted the recognition as a "double honor" due to its association with Sheikh Zayed, Pope Francis, and Grand Imam Ahmed Al Tayeb, while Prime Minister Pashinyan described the shared award as a "mutual and collective achievement" intended to bolster inter-state trust. The independent international judging committee, which included Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education at the Holy See, selected the honorees for embodying dialogue and coexistence.

The geopolitical resolution is intrinsically linked to the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), an infrastructure project established under the August 8, 2025, White House agreement. Under the terms, Armenia granted the United States exclusive development rights for the TRIPP corridor for a period of 99 years. This project involves constructing rail, oil, gas, and fiber optic lines through Armenia's southern Syunik region to connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, creating a vital link in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route. The U.S. plans to sublease these rights to a private consortium to unlock economic potential in the South Caucasus, a move US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted would bring trade and prosperity to the involved nations.

Concurrent with the award ceremony, Pope Leo XIV used his address to urge restraint against a potential new arms race following the expiration of the New Start Treaty, framing the diplomatic and economic success as a realization of human fraternity's principles in a strained international climate.