Bangladeshi organisation Friendship wins Earthshot Prize 2025

Friendship, a Bangladeshi social purpose organisation, has won the Earthshot Prize 2025 in the "Fix Our Climate" category for its integrated development model, marking the first win for Bangladesh since the award was launched by HRH Prince William in 2020.

The award, regarded as one of the world's most prestigious environmental honours, carries £1 million in funding and was presented at a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to a press release issued by Friendship.

Friendship was recognised for its nature-based, locally-led model that provides sustainable and scalable solutions for climate-vulnerable communities. The model is built around all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that each development aspect reinforces the others to improve quality of life, livelihoods, and dignity.

Prince William praised the organisation's work, saying, "Their work is proof that progress is possible. They are the world's true action heroes."

Accepting the award, Friendship Founder Runa Khan said, "It is an immense honour to be the first from Bangladesh to receive the Earthshot Prize. This recognition belongs to the communities we serve and strengthens our commitment to continue with even greater passion."

One of Friendship's standout initiatives is its Mangrove Afforestation Project, which has planted over 650,000 trees across 200 hectares and built 62 km of embankments. These forests protect 125,000 people from cyclones and support nearly 3,000 households. The project also strengthens blue carbon ecosystems and contributes to a sustainable blue economy. By 2030, Friendship aims to expand the initiative to 1,500 hectares, in line with Bangladesh's National Adaptation Plan and Forestry Master Plan.

Friendship has previously received international recognition, including the Royal Institute of British Architects Award in 2021 for Friendship Hospital Shyamnagar and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2016 for the Friendship Centre in Gaibandha.