ISLAMABAD: Renowned Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari has declined the Israel’s Wolf Prize 2025 in architecture, confirming her decision in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In her communication to the Wolf Foundation, Lari expressed gratitude for the recognition but stated she could not accept the award “in view of the unfortunate continuing genocide in Gaza.”
According to media reports, she declined the award because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, a reason she explicitly stated in her response to them.
“I declined the award because of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, a reason I explicitly stated in my response to them. Given the current situation in Gaza, accepting the award was out of the question,” she said.
The Wolf Prize is an international award granted in Israel since 1978 to living scientists and artists for “achievements in the interest of mankind and friendly relations among people.” It is awarded in six fields, including agriculture, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, physics, and an arts category that rotates between architecture, music, painting, and sculpture.
Lari, who focuses on the intersection of architecture and social justice, has built a reputation for creating sustainable structures for marginalized communities in Pakistan. She co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan with her husband, Suhail Zaheer Lari, in 1980.
Her humanitarian work includes constructing over 50,000 sustainable self-built shelters and more than 80,000 ecological cooking stoves using natural materials such as mud, lime, and bamboo.
The architect advocates for traditional construction techniques that can lead to low-impact, carbon-neutral buildings. In 2023, she received the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Gold Medal for her humanitarian contributions to architecture.
The Wolf Foundation has not issued a public response regarding Lari’s decision as of this report.
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