With the blessings of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the approval of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are pleased to announce that the 2026 Athenagoras Human Rights Award will be presented to His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York. The Award will be presented on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at the AEP’s annual Athenagoras Human Rights Award black-tie banquet at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York City.
Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, the Archon Grand Aktouarios and National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, stated: “Throughout his sixteen years as Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan consistently demonstrated heartfelt and deeply informed concern for the human rights and human dignity, and particularly the well-being of all the Christians and people of other faiths around the world who are suffering for exercising their religious freedom. He has been a true friend and ecumenical partner of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, laboring indefatigably to strengthen the relationship between our Sister Churches. Cardinal Dolan’s long and distinguished record of defense of human rights make him a most worthy recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award.”
Cardinal Dolan has exemplified the highest values of leadership to improve the global human condition. His service on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty and the Justice Department’s Religious Liberty Commission, among many other actions for religious freedom, demonstrate his lifelong commitment to the all-important cause of defending the freedom of conscience and the dignity before God of every human being.
Established in 1986, the Athenagoras Human Rights Award is given in honor of Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, who served as Archbishop of the Americas for 18 years before being elected Ecumenical Patriarch in 1948. He was universally acknowledged as a visionary leader and worked for peace among Churches and people throughout his life.
Previous recipients include Russian dissident Yulia Navalnaya; the Prince’s Trust (now the King’s Trust), an international youth charity founded by King Charles III while he was Prince of Wales; His Beatitude Theodore II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa; His Beatitude Epiphaniy, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine; President Joseph Biden (when he was vice president); former President Jimmy Carter; former President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush; Nobel Laureate and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel; Mother Teresa of Calcutta; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; and the scientists who developed COVID vaccines and treatments. View a list of previous recipients.
