Kurdistan Foundation Participates in King Hamad Award Ceremony in Bahrain
Yara Barzanji Joins International Jury Panel for Global Youth Empowerment Initiative.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Kurdistan Foundation took part in the King Hamad Award Ceremony for Youth Empowerment to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on February 15, 2026, in Bahrain, reaffirming its commitment to youth development and international engagement.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of His Highness Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for humanitarian work and youth affairs. The event was also attended by Bahrain’s Minister of Youth Affairs, H.E. Rawan bint Najib Tawfiqi.
Representing the Kurdistan Foundation, Director Yara Barzanji served on the award’s international jury panel alongside H.E. Sultan bin Saif AlNeyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and H.E. Yacine El-Mahdi Oualid, Algeria’s Minister of Agriculture.
The panel evaluated submissions from across the world, selecting outstanding youth-led initiatives aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The King Hamad Award for Youth Empowerment is a global initiative launched by the Kingdom of Bahrain to recognize and celebrate the transformative role of young people in advancing sustainable development.
The 2026 ceremony honored top applicants across multiple categories, highlighting innovative projects that address pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
The Kurdistan Foundation’s participation underscores its broader mission of fostering empowerment and advancement within the Kurdistan Region while maintaining active engagement with international partners.
Rooted in a vision of building a stronger community, the foundation focuses on promoting local culture, traditions, and values while encouraging global collaboration.
Guided by three core pillars—belonging, building, and becoming—the organization seeks to cultivate togetherness, enhance cooperation, and reinforce Kurdish national pride.
Through these principles, the foundation aims to contribute to the development of a society where individuals play a meaningful role in shaping a resilient and thriving community.