Kurd Prize: an international award for Kurdish excellence

The structure draws on two traditions that already carry global weight: a Nobel-style medal for scientific, humanitarian and peace-building impact, and an Oscar-style statuette for artistic and creative achievement. Each tier has its own criterion, an indicative recognition amount, and a distinct physical medal — a 75mm, 240-gram disc for Gold, 18-karat gold plate over sterling silver and bronze for the tiers beneath it, each with a numbered certificate of authenticity.

These figures describe the charter as designed — the award has not yet been given.

Alongside the seven categories, the charter sets aside three namesake awards that do not fit a single field: the Mother's Award, for the mothers of those who gave their lives for Kurdistan and for women whose influence has inspired generations; Ally's Champion, for non-Kurds whose work has served or defended the Kurdish cause; and Emerging Voice, for creators and thinkers under 35 with exceptional early impact.

Medals share one mould: the ring “THE KURD PRIZE 2025” with olive branches and the sun, and at the centre the portrait of the edition’s honoree. Prototype specification: 66 mm across, 2.4–5.2 mm thick, 175 g (196 g for the Peace medal, with a thicker rim), 24-carat gold plating on an 18-carat green-gold core; the obverse carries the portrait and the years of birth and death in Latin letters.

The second edition is planned for Catanzaro in Calabria, where General Sharif Pasha is buried. The prototype lists coordination with the municipality, guest accommodation and venues, and a programme on the margins of an Italy–Kurdistan week: a Nowruz celebration, a concert in a Catanzaro church, panels on Sharif Pasha’s role, a photo exhibition on the Peshmerga in the war against ISIS, book launches, and a proposed street named “Kurdistan” in Rome. The renders in the last gallery are concept images, not photographs of events.