Matiullah Wesa wins 2026 Freedom Prize in France

Afghan education activist Matiullah Wesa, founder of the Pen Path organisation and a prominent advocate for girls’ education, has been awarded the Normandy Freedom Prize 2026 in France. The award was decided by nearly 19,000 young voters from 75 countries.

Afghan education activist Matiullah Wesa has been named the winner of the Normandy Freedom Prize 2026, an international human rights award presented by the Normandy region in France.

The award was determined through a global vote involving 18,708 young people from 75 countries, according to organisers, who selected Wesa as the recipient of the prize’s eighth edition.

Wesa is the founder of the Pen Path initiative, which works with thousands of volunteers to promote access to education in underserved areas of Afghanistan, with a strong focus on girls’ schooling. He began his activism at the age of 17 and later expanded efforts to establish schools in remote regions.

He was detained by the Taliban in March 2023 over his activities and spent seven months in prison. Afghanistan remains the only country where girls and women are banned from secondary and higher education.

The Normandy Freedom Prize, established in 2019 by the Normandy region and the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace, is awarded annually to individuals or organisations defending human rights and freedoms.

The award ceremony is scheduled for 4 June in Caen, France, and is expected to bring together more than 4,000 young people along with veterans of the Second World War.

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