The Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Memorial Award

In 2004, Rafik Hariri was Awarded the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor, Special Citation at the World Urban Forum in Barcelona, for his creativity, visionary leadership and statesmanship in the reconstruction of Lebanon and the City of Beirut (read more)

Following the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and in a joint effort to commemorate his achievements and dedication to the reconstruction of a Lebanon torn by war, UN-Habitat and the Rafik Hariri Foundation instituted the UN-Habitat Memorial award in mutual aspiration to recognize and reward outstanding efforts and contributions to the progress of human settlement.

The Governing Council, which oversees UN-Habitat, endorsed the Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Memorial Award, as a means of recognizing, rewarding and promoting best practices in human settlement, urban development and leadership, and for further disseminating best practices at the World Urban Forum (WUF), which is a global meeting convened by UN-Habitat every two years on behalf of the United Nations General Assembly.

1.  Objectives

The Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Award targets to identify, recognize and publicize outstanding accomplishments or initiatives related to:

• Leadership, statesmanship and good governance at national, municipal and local levels
• Construction and reconstruction of settlements and communities
• Human resources development and benevolent activities in the context of the development and implementation of the habitat agenda and to disseminate lessons learned

2.  Applicants

Applicants are screened by an international jury of eminent experts with particular knowledge and experience in the Award thematic areas. Organizations can submit projects and programs while individuals must be nominated by another party. Winning applicants must demonstrate exemplary and outstanding achievements in one of the award fields as well as of proven positive impact on innovation, sustainability and transferability.

3. Awards:

The Award consists of:

• A cash grant of USD 200,000 that be shared by  two winners
• A trophy
• A certificate

4. The Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Awards for 2010 and 2012

• The Award was Launched on Feb, 14,2010, during the Rafik Hariri fifth memorial ceremony, which was organized by the Arab world Institute in Paris. Mrs. Nazik Rafik Hariri declared the Launching of the Award in her opening speech which was followed by the speeches of President Jack Chirac Mrs. Hind Hariri Karout, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive director of UN-Habitat and finally the secretary general of the Lebanese National Commission for Unesco, Salwa Siniora Baassiri.

• The inaugural Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Award, came under the theme “Leadership, Statesmanship and Good Governance”. It was presented at the Opening Ceremony of the 5th session of the World Urban Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in March 2010. The Award went to the Prime Minister of Turkey Rajab Tayib Ardogan. President Lola Di Silba gave a welcoming speech, to be followed by Mrs. Nazek Rafik Hariri who gave the opening speech, to be followed by the representative of the Award winner. The lecture series was launched in conjunction with the Award dinner, by a former news anchor from CNN, with direct exposure to the works of the late Rafik Hariri.  

• The second Rafik Hariri UN-Habitat Memorial Award, which had as a theme “Recognize the Remarkable  promote progress, celebrate change", went to former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad. The Award Ceremony and Dinner  took place in September 2012, in conjunction with the UN General Assembly in New York, USA. Mrs. Nazik Rafik Hariri gave the opening speech with direct exposure to the works of late Rafik Hariri then was the speech of Dr. Joan Clos, the Executive secretary of the UN-Habitat, to be followed by a recorded message from P.M. Ardogan, the winner of the inaugural Award, then was the speech of the Award winner Mahathir Mohamad, the Award Lecture was given by H.E. Dr. Ghassan Salameh.