On February 13th, we gathered to celebrate individuals making a lasting impact on global issues. In its seventh edition, the TRT World Citizen Awards honored changemakers across six categories, including a special recognition. This prestigious event amplifies their voices and showcases the power of collective action in shaping a better world.
Rudayna Abdo is the founder of Thaki, a social enterprise dedicated to expanding access to education for forcibly displaced children. Drawing from her own family’s experience of displacement, Abdo developed innovative learning solutions by providing offline educational content through refurbished laptops in refugee camps and fragile learning environments. Her work is grounded in the belief that when everything else is taken away, education remains a source of stability, dignity, and hope for the future. She is the recipient of the Educator Award.
Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal are engineers and ethical technology advocates who courageously challenged the misuse of artificial intelligence and cloud technologies in systems enabling genocide and oppression. At significant personal and professional risk, they spoke out publicly against corporate complicity, transforming a moment of protest into a global conversation on accountability, power, and responsibility in the tech industry. Their actions underscore that technology is never neutral, and that ethical courage remains essential in shaping its future. They are the recipients of the Communicator Award.
Amara Nwuneli is a youth climate activist and the founder of Preserve Our Roots, a youth-led initiative addressing climate change, inequality, and environmental justice. Growing up in Nigeria, she witnessed firsthand the impact of extreme weather on vulnerable communities, leading her to advocate for locally rooted and youth-driven climate action. Through education, storytelling, and community-based projects, Nwuneli empowers young people to become active participants in shaping sustainable and just futures. She is the recipient of the Youth Award.
Yahya Barzaq was a journalist who dedicated his life to documenting the reality of life under siege in Gaza. Through his work, he sought not only to record destruction, but also to bear witness to resilience, humanity, and hope. He was martyred while using his camera as an instrument of resistance in a place where the cost of truth is measured in human lives. The World Citizen of the Year Award is presented in his memory, recognizing his commitment to truth and journalistic integrity.
Raul Pantaleo is an architect who has redefined architecture as a tool for dignity, healing, and social justice. As a co-founder of TAMassociati, he has designed hospitals and community facilities in some of the world’s most fragile regions, from Sudan and Afghanistan to Iraq and Rwanda. Anchored by projects such as the Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery in Khartoum, his work affirms that beauty is not a luxury but a right, and that thoughtfully designed spaces can restore hope and humanity where they are needed most. He is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Joohi Tahir is a leading advocate for disability inclusion and the founder of MUHSEN, an organization dedicated to making faith and community spaces accessible to all. Inspired by personal experience as a parent, Tahir has worked to transform mosques and community centers through accessibility standards, inclusive programming, and awareness initiatives. Her work affirms that inclusion is not charity, but a fundamental right, and that spaces of faith and belonging must welcome every individual with dignity. For her dedication to ensuring dignity and access for all, she has been awarded the Accessibility Award.
