Yerevan:Under the patronage of President Vahagn Khachaturyan of Armenia, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) is set to hold the 27th Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development ceremony on October 28 at the Dvin Music Hall in Yerevan. The event will honor clean energy projects as part of the 2025 prize cycle.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the ceremony will be attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of AGFUND’s Board of Directors and Chairman of the Prize Committee, and Queen Sofía of Spain, a member of the Prize Committee. The event recognizes organizations and individuals whose projects align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, ‘Affordable and Clean Energy.’
Yerevan was chosen as the venue for the ceremony to align with the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), emphasizing the synergy between the prize’s theme and global environmental and sustainable development efforts. The event will spotlight four projects that offer innovative solutions in clean energy and human development.
The recognized projects include initiatives focused on climate-resilient water supply systems, food security and livelihoods, waste-to-biofuel technology, and solar-powered irrigation for smallholder farmers. These projects illustrate how energy solutions can fulfill basic needs, enhance productivity, and improve community living standards.
The prize awards a total of $1 million across four categories, acknowledging efforts by UN agencies, international and regional organizations, national NGOs, government bodies, social enterprises, and individuals. This framework promotes diverse developmental strategies and encourages the broader application of successful solutions.
Originally established in 1999 as the AGFUND International Prize for Pioneering Human Development Projects, the prize was renamed to honor AGFUND’s founder, Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, for his humanitarian contributions. Since 2017, the prize has aligned its themes with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, with each cycle focusing on a goal-relevant theme.
Looking forward, the 2026 prize cycle will center on ‘Good Health and Well-being,’ Sustainable Development Goal 3, which acknowledges projects that advance healthy living and well-being for all.