01 September 2026 | 19:29
READING TIME: 2 minutes
The Kingdom of Bahrain has launched the inaugural King Hamad Prize for Coexistence and Tolerance, a high-level international initiative reflecting the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The Prize aims to recognize individuals and institutions that have made concrete contributions to promoting coexistence among different cultures and faiths, fostering mutual respect, and building more harmonious and stable societies. It serves as a call to the international community to build bridges of trust and to strengthen mutual acceptance and understanding, and it continues Bahrain’s efforts to promote religious and cultural pluralism by turning the values of coexistence into concrete policies and initiatives with measurable impact. The Prize also underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to support international efforts to address social divisions, reinforce trust among peoples, and establish dialogue as a strategic necessity for tackling contemporary global challenges.
The Prize honors individuals and organizations with outstanding, documented contributions to cultivating a culture of tolerance and coexistence, promoting dialogue and mutual respect, and creating positive, sustainable impact in their communities. It is open to nominees from all countries, without geographic restrictions, to emphasize its international scope. The initiative aims to highlight successful international examples, encourage the exchange of expertise between countries and institutions, and support cross-border partnerships. Established in 2024, the Prize reflects values long rooted in Bahrain’s history—openness to all peoples, religions and cultures—and embodies the Kingdom’s vision of advancing global peace and coexistence while fostering pioneering work in the field of dialogue.
“This inaugural edition embodies the noble vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to firmly strengthen the values of coexistence, tolerance and mutual respect, and to support international efforts to build more cohesive and stable societies,” said His Excellency Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Chair of the Board of Directors of the King Hamad Global Centre for Coexistence and Tolerance, and Chair of the Prize’s Judging Committee. The Prize includes a monetary award as well as a certificate and a medal presented at a ceremony under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Honorary President of the Prize, underscoring its international prestige and distinguished character. The winner will be selected by an independent jury of Bahraini and international experts from fields including institutional leadership, parliamentary work, human rights, academia, religion and international cooperation. Nominations are open worldwide until 10 October 2026 on the Prize’s official website: https://www.khaward.bh/En.