The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity’s Heartbeat of Humanity film series has won the documentary category at the 30th annual Webby Awards. The awards are a leading international honour recognising excellence on the web, described by the New York Times as the Internet’s highest honour and widely known as the Oscars of the Internet for their prestigious global standing in recognising outstanding work published across websites, applications, and social media.
The Heartbeat of Humanity film series won both the Webby Award - selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, an over 3,000-member judging body based in New York City - and the Webby People’s Voice Award, a prize open to the public and which saw over 4 million votes cast.
Selected from more than 13,000 submissions, the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity was among five finalists in the Documentary category, a category previously awarded to National Geographic, Netflix, the Washington Post, and Business Insider.
His Excellency Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, said: “This global recognition is an important tribute to the award’s humanitarian mission, which has become an international platform for honouring inspiring models that promote the values of human fraternity around the world. It reaffirms that when humanitarian values are expressed through sincere and creative storytelling, they can reach the conscience of the world and create real impact that transcends borders and cultures. The Webby Award win for Heartbeat of Humanity is not merely recognition for a documentary film; it is also an international acknowledgment of the powerful message carried by the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, and of the growing role of storytelling in inspiring communities and building bridges among peoples”.
“This achievement further strengthens the award’s position as a leading global platform that celebrates humanity, raises awareness of the values of human fraternity, and supports initiatives that transform values into reality, diversity into strength, and solidarity into lasting impact in service of humanity.”
Produced by Abu Dhabi-based creative group People, the films spotlight the humanitarian efforts of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2025 honourees and 2026 honourees, namely: Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley, food relief organisation World Central Kitchen, teenage innovator Heman Bekele, the historic Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, Palestinian organisation Taawon, and Afghan girls’ education advocate Zarqa Yaftali.
Tim Elliott, CEO of People, said: “This work has always been about people. The individuals and communities at the heart of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. To receive both the Webby Award, selected by a jury of over 3,000 industry leaders, and the People’s Voice Award, voted for by more than 4 million people around the world, is incredibly special. It’s also a reflection of the team behind it, who worked tirelessly to tell these stories with compassion and respect. These awards show both industry recognition and a genuine connection with audiences around the world.”
The 30th Annual Webby Awards ceremony will take place in New York City on 11 May 2026. Established in 1996, the Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 3,000+ member judging body based in New York City, comprised of leading Internet experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries, creative celebrities, and more.
