Established in 1954, the award celebrates those who go above and beyond the call of duty to support refugees, internally displaced people and the stateless.
Announcing the winners, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said their actions demonstrate that humanity continues to prevail.
“This year’s honorees remind us that, even in dark times, compassion remains intact“, said.
“Their unwavering commitment to protecting and uplifting the displaced offers hope and inspiration. They embody the spirit of Nansen: a belief that Every person forced to flee, wherever they are, deserves dignity, security and hope..”
A town opens its doors
The 2025 world winner, Chief Martin Azia Sodea of Cameroon, has become a symbol of what welcome and leadership can be.
When tens of thousands of refugees from the Central African Republic crossed into his village of Gado-Badzéré, he and his community made a collective decision: no one should be turned away. Under his leadership, families offered land for housing and agriculture, helping 36,000 people rebuild their lives.
“We are all human beings and we have to take care of each other,” Chief Sodea said.
He remembers villagers rescuing exhausted people who collapsed on the road. “We couldn’t watch our brothers die. There is no distinction between refugees and the host population. We live together.”
His example has encouraged other traditional leaders to follow suit, helping to change attitudes across the region and demonstrating how empathy can reshape entire communities.
Pablo Moreno Cadena, a business leader in Mexico, has become a pioneer in the inclusion of refugees in the country.
regional champions
Four regional winners will also be honored this year. In Mexico, business leader Pablo Moreno Cadena has become a driving force for refugee inclusion by encouraging major appliance manufacturer MABE to hire hundreds of refugees, demonstrating that the integration of displaced people strengthens workplaces and communities alike.
In Ukraine, the organization Proliska continues to provide life-saving support to millions of people, often arriving in areas within hours of bombings or airstrikes. Their teams work where few others can, ensuring that “no one is left behind.”
In Iraq, Taban Shoresh, a genocide survivor turned activist – founded The Lotus Flower, a women-led organization that supports more than 105,000 survivors of the conflict by providing protection, counseling and livelihoods.
And in Tajikistan, the Afghan refugee Negara Nazari co-founded the Ariana Learning Center, a school that offers displaced Afghan children the education they were previously denied. A former scholarship student, she decided to give others the opportunities she once had.
Together, this year’s honorees offer a powerful message: that acts of kindness, inclusion and courage can transform lives, and that even in the most difficult times, humanity endures.