Friendship, a Bangladeshi social purpose organization, has been awarded the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2025 in the “Fix Our Climate” category for its pioneering integrated and holistic development model.
This marks the first-ever Earthshot Prize win for a Bangladeshi organization since the award’s inception by UK Prince William in 2020, according to a press release on Thursday.
The Earthshot Prize, regarded as the world’s most distinguished environmental honor, was presented at a gala ceremony held on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Each winner received £1 million to scale their groundbreaking environmental solutions.
Friendship was recognized for its innovative, nature-based, and locally led model that delivers sustainable, scalable, and replicable solutions to improve the lives of climate-vulnerable communities. Its integrated approach acknowledges that no single aspect of development can thrive in isolation, aligning with all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)to create lasting, holistic impact.
By ensuring every aspect of development supports and reinforces the other, Friendship’s model enhances overall quality of life, strengthens livelihood opportunities, and restores dignity and hope for marginalized communities.
Reflecting on the award, Prince William said: “When I founded the Earthshot Prize in 2020, we had a ten-year goal to make this the decade in which we transformed the world for the better. We set out to tackle environmental issues head on and make real lasting changes that would protect life on Earth.
It was a mission driven by the kind of extraordinary optimism we felt here tonight from these innovators. Their work is the proof that progress is possible. Their stories are the inspiration that gives us courage, and there’s a great deal we can learn from their determination and their vision for scale, as well as their unyielding belief that we can create a better world. It’s no exaggeration to say that they are the world’s true action heroes.”
Accepting the award, Runa Khan, Founder of Friendship, said: “It is an immense honour for us to be the first from Bangladesh to receive the Earthshot Prize. This recognition celebrates the resilience and innovation of Bangladesh’s marginalized communities. Our achievement belongs to everyone—especially the people we work with and for. This award strengthens our commitment and responsibility to continue our mission with even greater passion.”
One of Friendship’s most impactful initiatives, the Mangrove Afforestation Project, has been highlighted as a key example of its success. To date, the project has planted over 650,000 mangrove trees across more than 200 hectares, alongside 62 kilometres of embankments. These mangrove ecosystems now protect over 125,000 people from cyclones and storm surges while sustaining around 3,000 households through community-managed ecosystems.
The initiative not only bolsters coastal resilience but also enhances blue carbon ecosystems, acting as a major carbon sink and contributing to a sustainable blue economy. By 2030, Friendship aims to expand the project to 1,500 hectares, in alignment with Bangladesh’s National Adaptation Plan (2023–2050) and Forestry Master Plan (2017–2036).
Friendship’s previously received the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award in 2021 for the climate-resilient design of Friendship Hospital Shyamnagar, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2016 for the Friendship Centre in Gaibandha.