Azerbaijani president: We are learning to live in peace

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev highlighted the importance of peace and reconciliation during the awarding ceremony of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi.

“We (Armenia and Azerbaijan – ed.) were at war for more than 30 years. Now we have lived in peace for six months,” President Aliyev said, reflecting on the recent period of stability between the two countries, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

“As I said many times, we are learning to live in peace. I can tell you, it's a special feeling,” the head of state added, emphasising the unique experience of building peace after decades of conflict.

“First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Judging Committee for this award. It’s a great honor for me to receive the award,” President Aliyev said, expressing his appreciation for the recognition.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, established to recognise outstanding contributions to peace, coexistence, and interfaith dialogue, is held annually in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The award honours individuals and organisations whose efforts have significantly advanced understanding, reconciliation, and human fraternity across cultures and nations.

In 2026, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev was among the distinguished recipients. Other laureates included Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, Afghan human rights and girls’ education activist Zarqa Yaftali, and the Palestinian charitable organization Taawon.

The award granted to the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia recognises their role in signing the “Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia,” which formally ended the decades-long conflict between the two countries and marked a historic step towards peace and regional stability.

By Vugar Khalilov