Islamabad, Mar 12, 2025: Prominent Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari has turned down Israel’s prestigious Wolf Prize 2025 in architecture, formally announcing her decision on Tuesday due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In a letter addressed to the Wolf Foundation, Lari conveyed her appreciation for the honor but firmly stated she could not accept the accolade, citing “the tragic and persistent genocide in Gaza” as the reason for her refusal.
Media outlets report that Lari explicitly mentioned the prolonged suffering in Gaza as the primary cause behind her rejection of the award, reinforcing her stance on ethical and humanitarian grounds.
The Wolf Prize, established in Israel in 1978, is a globally recognized accolade presented to outstanding scientists and artists for their “contributions to humanity and the promotion of goodwill among nations.
” It is awarded in six disciplines: agriculture, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, physics, and an arts category that alternates among architecture, music, painting, and sculpture.
Lari, a distinguished architect known for integrating social equity into her designs, has dedicated her career to developing sustainable structures for underprivileged communities in Pakistan.
She co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan in 1980 alongside her husband, Suhail Zaheer Lari.
Her philanthropic initiatives include constructing over 50,000 eco-friendly self-built homes and more than 80,000 environmentally conscious cooking stoves, utilizing locally available materials such as mud, lime, and bamboo.
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A staunch advocate of traditional, low-carbon building methods, Lari champions architectural approaches that minimize environmental footprints while fostering resilience in vulnerable communities.
In 2023, she was honored with the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Royal Gold Medal in recognition of her humanitarian-driven contributions to the field.
As of now, the Wolf Foundation has not publicly responded to Lari’s refusal of the award.
