Spain awards UNRWA and Commissioner-General its highest honour

NEW YORK,

Spain, a staunch supporter of UNRWA, has awarded Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini its highest honour in recognition of the Agency’s critical role in Gaza and the region. 

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares awarded Lazzarini the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic in New York on Thursday – a day after the Commissioner-General briefed a UN Security Council session on the war in Gaza. 

“UNRWA’s work is crucial for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza,” as well as for Palestine Refugees across the region, Albares said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing the medal ceremony at Spain’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. 

Lazzarini said it was “humbling” to receive the award. 

“This is a tribute to all my colleagues at UNRWA who are dedicated to providing, every day, lifesaving assistance, education, and primary health care to Palestine Refugees. Such recognition gives a huge boost to our teams to continue serving the communities in Gaza and across the region,” he added. 

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Notes to Editors 

• Spain is among UNRWA’s strongest supporters. In 2023, the contribution from the central and regional Governments totaled nearly US$ 31 million, making it the 11th biggest donor to the Agency. 
• Last month, while UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini was in Madrid, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares announced a new contribution of EUR 20 million to the Agency, which comes on top of EUR 3.5 million for Gaza announced earlier in the year. 
• Foreign Minister Albares and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently visited UNRWA schools in Palestine Refugee camps in Jordan, showing strong support again to the Agency’s work in the region (see videos here and here). 
• Spain has remained a member of the UNRWA Advisory Commission since 2005, when a Spanish National Committee was also created to mobilize funds across a broad range of public and private stakeholders.  
• The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic – in Spanish, the Real Orden de Isabel la Católica – is a Spanish civil order of chivalry and honour granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations and cooperation with other nations.