Zakaria El Hamel, Moroccan human rights and peace advocate, has been officially designated as a recipient of the prestigious 2nd edition of the Nelson Mandela International Human Rights Award in Italy.
The achievement by El Hamel, the president-founder of the Youth for Peace and Dialogue Between Cultures organization has been described as significant milestone for Moroccan civil society and international citizen diplomacy.
According to the awardees in a statment on Thursday, this high-level honour is accompanied by official patronage from the Italian Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei Deputati), which has designated a distinguished silver Premio di Rappresentanza (Representative Prize) bearing the official parliamentary seal for the event.
The official coronation ceremony will take place on Friday, September 19, 2026, at the historic Norman-Swabian Castle of Sannicandro di Bari, Italy.
This distinguished accolade was granted through a joint decision by prominent European academic
and philosophical institutions, including the Foundation for World Peace, the Léopold Sédar Senghor International Academy (Arcore, Italy), and the Academy of Philosophical Arts and Science (Bari, Italy).
”Bearing the name of one of history’s greatest symbols of freedom and justice, Nelson Mandela, this
international honour serves as a powerful testament to the impact of citizen diplomacy and grassroots action” according to the statement.
It said this achievement recognises how local initiatives originating from Morocco continue to build
global bridges of understanding, celebrate diversity, and counter extremism.
WN/as/APA