Yasmeen Lari rejects $100,000 Wolf Prize over Gaza conflict
…..Renowned Pakistani architect cites humanitarian concerns in decision to decline prestigious award….
Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari has rejected the 2025 Wolf Prize in Architecture, citing the ongoing war in Gaza as her reason. Lari, known for her sustainable and socially conscious designs, announced her decision on March 11 in a letter to the Israel-based Wolf Foundation, which she later shared on Instagram.
“While I am immensely grateful for this honour, alas, given the unfortunate continuing genocide in Gaza, I am not able to accept the award and the prize money even from an organisation that is independent of the government,” Lari wrote.
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The Wolf Prize, awarded annually since 1978, recognizes excellence in science and the arts, aiming to foster “the interest of mankind and friendly relations amongst peoples.”
The 2025 laureates were announced on March 10, with Lari initially among the recipients in architecture. Following her decision to decline, Chinese architect Xu Tiantian of DnA_Design and Architecture remains the only awardee in the field this year.
Lari has long been an advocate for humanitarian architecture, dedicating her career to designing for marginalized communities. She co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan in 1980, which is currently working on building one million flood-resilient homes in the country.
Lari was the first female architect in Pakistan and received the prestigious Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 2023.
As of now, the Wolf Foundation has not publicly responded to Lari’s rejection of the award.
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