The 8AM Media Annual Awards 2025 were held in Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday, recognising figures who have made significant contributions to Afghanistan’s contemporary history in the fields of human rights, literature, culture, art and public awareness.
The organisers said the aim of the awards is to honour individuals whose work has advanced “awareness, freedom, culture and art” in Afghanistan.
This year’s recipients included:
Human Rights Award (Seema Samar Award): Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, and activist Azadeh Raz Mohammad.
Rahnaward Zaryab Award for Literature: Bahar Zahir.
Wasif Bakhtari Award for Poetry: Nader Ahmadi.
Faiz Mohammad Katib Award for Historical Research: Nematullah Bizhan.
Qasim Akhgar Enlightenment Award: Abbas Faraso and Nematullah Ebrahimi.
Ghulam Mohammad Ghobar Award for History: Pamela Rajkowski.
Rabia Balkhi Award for Resilience: Fahim Hashimi and David Sewitch.
Queen Soraya Innovation Award: Professor Jackie True and Dr Farhonda Akbari.
Musa Shafiq Diplomacy Award: Wahidullah Wasiq, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Australia.
Nakomara Service Award: Mahboba Rawi.
Kamaluddin Behzad Art Award: Catherine Ray and Marsal Azizi.
Abdul Qayum Baysad Award for Cinema and Theatre: Julian Hoff and Muzaffar Ali.
Abdul Majid Zabuli Award for Innovation: Saviz Savizyar and Bari Samadi.
Goharshad Begum Education Award: Erfanullah Abidi.
Rohullah Nikpai Sports Award: Afghanistan women’s national football and cricket teams.
Farhad Darya Music Award: Zia Sahel.
8AM Media said the ceremony seeks to establish new traditions of cultural recognition within the Afghan community and honour the work of individuals who continue to contribute across various fields.
