In Stockholm, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human-rights advocate Tawakkol Karman presented the 2025 International Children’s Peace Prize to Syrian activist Bana al-Abed during a landmark ceremony at the city’s historic City Hall.

During the event, Karman praised the 15-year-old honoree, whose global profile began when she documented the suffering of civilians during the 2016 siege of Aleppo. The International Children’s Peace Prize—awarded annually by the KidsRights Foundation—recognized Bana’s ongoing work reuniting displaced children with their families, helping rebuild schools, and advancing education and advocacy initiatives for war-affected youth. The award includes a €50,000 grant and additional institutional support for her projects.

In her remarks, Karman highlighted Bana’s courage in transforming her personal experience of war into humanitarian action. She noted that Bana comes from a Syria that has paid a heavy price for its pursuit of freedom yet has never abandoned its aspirations. Karman stressed that, in her view, the will of the people remains stronger than the power of tyrants and that freedom, though delayed, does not die.

Karman also referenced the early days of the Syrian uprising, recalling how children marched with notebooks in hand to demand dignity—an act she described as the spark of a historic struggle for freedom. She further commended the resilience of Syrian women and the determination of young Syrians who continue, despite immense suffering, to hold on to what she called their great and enduring dreams.