Taban Shoresh Wins the Nansen Award for MENA
- sophiepelka
- Dec 22
- 1 min read
What a privilege to witness Taban Shoresh OBE, founder of The Lotus Flower, receive the Nansen Award for MENA from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency last week.
GIFT has proudly supported The Lotus Flower for five years, and we remain immensely inspired by what Taban and her team achieve day in day out for displaced women and girls in Kurdistan. As UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi beautifully stated, "This year's laureates remind us that, even in dark times, compassion remains undimmed." Taban truly embodies this spirit through her tireless commitment to creating dignity, safety and hope.
The evening held special meaning as I shared it with one of my daughters, Jospehine Pelka. Josephine has taught me so much through her innate empathy, and witnessing her inspiration and emotion at seeing such courageous leadership in action was super special. I'm also grateful to Giving Women, through whom GIFT first met Taban back in 2020.
Congratulations Taban – your recognition is so immensely deserved.
