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Nujeen Mustafa receives Polish Foreign Ministry's 'Pro Dignitate Humana' award

20.02.2026 14:40
A wheelchair-bound Kurdish Syrian refugee and activist with cerebral palsy, Nujeen Mustafa, received the Polish Foreign Ministry's 2026 "Pro Dignitate Humana" award on Friday morning - for her heroism and constant work for the cause of refugees and people with disabilities.
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Nujeen Mustafa, her sister, and Polands Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski
Nujeen Mustafa, her sister, and Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorskiphoto: PAP/Marcin Obara

The "Pro Dignitate Humana" award has been granted since 2011 by Poland's Minister of Foreign Affairs - honouring people and NGOs from around the world for their uncompromising actions in defense of the rights of those persecuted and exposed to repression, as well as for a steadfast stance in defense of individual rights and respect for human dignity.

This year the title was granted to Nujeen Mustafa - a wheelchair-bound Kurdish Syrian refugee and activist with cerebral palsy, who gained attention after traveling 5,600 km fleeing conflict in the Syrian Civil War, before arriving and resettling in Germany.

She used the press interest to become the voice of the displaced, especially those with disabilities. In 2018 she was a part of the BBC's 100 Women series, and in 2019 she became the first disabled person to brief the United Nations Security Council. She has co-authored two books about her experiences.

Polish Radio External Service's Marcin Matuszewski attended the 2026 "Pro Dignitate Humana" award ceremony at Poland's Foreign Ministry on Friday morning - and you can listen to his report clicking the audio player button above.