The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced the 2025 Nansen Refugee Award laureates, spotlighting individuals and organizations whose compassion and solidarity continue to transform the lives of displaced people around the world.
This year’s award honours five exceptional leaders and initiatives from Cameroon, Mexico, Ukraine, Iraq, and Tajikistan, each recognised for extraordinary courage, empathy, and dedication to protecting refugees, internally displaced people, and the stateless.
Established in 1954, the Nansen Award celebrates those who go far beyond the call of duty in defending the rights and dignity of people forced to flee.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said the 2025 laureates demonstrate that humanity continues to shine, even in times of global uncertainty.
“This year’s laureates remind us that, even in dark times, compassion remains undimmed. They embody the belief that every person forced to flee deserves dignity, safety and hope.”
A Village That Refused to Turn People Away
The 2025 Global Laureate, Martin Azia Sodea, is a traditional leader from Cameroon whose actions have become a powerful symbol of solidarity.
When tens of thousands of refugees fleeing violence in the Central African Republic arrived in Gado-Badzéré, Chief Sodea and his community made a decisive choice: no one would be turned away. Villagers shared land for housing and farming, helping more than 36,000 refugees rebuild their lives.
“We are all human beings, and we have to take care of each other,” he said, recalling how residents rescued exhausted refugees who collapsed along the road. “There is no distinction between refugees and the host population. We live together.”
His leadership has inspired neighbouring communities and traditional leaders, reshaping attitudes toward refugees across the region.
Regional Champions of Inclusion and Hope
Four additional regional laureates were also recognised in 2025:
- Mexico: Business leader Pablo Moreno Cadena has championed refugee inclusion by encouraging major employer MABE to hire hundreds of refugees, demonstrating that integration strengthens both businesses and communities.
- Ukraine: The humanitarian organization Proliska continues to deliver life-saving assistance to millions, often reaching devastated areas within hours of shelling or air strikes.
- Iraq: Taban Shoresh, a genocide survivor, founded The Lotus Flower, which has supported over 105,000 conflict survivors with protection, counselling, and livelihoods.
- Tajikistan: Afghan refugee Negara Nazari co-founded the Ariana Learning Centre, providing education to displaced Afghan children who had previously been denied schooling.
A Powerful Message in Difficult Times
Together, the 2025 Nansen Award laureates send a clear message: kindness, courage, and inclusion can change lives. Even amid conflict, displacement, and uncertainty, their actions show that compassion for refugees is not fading — it is being renewed every day by ordinary people making extraordinary choices.
