Friendship, a Bangladesh-based NGO, has been announced as a Finalist for the 2025 Earthshot Prize—widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious environmental award.
The organization joins a global coalition of changemakers recognized for their leadership in climate action and their commitment to building a better future for both people and planet.
Founded by Prince William in 2020, the Earthshot Prize celebrates innovative solutions to the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
The 2025 edition marks the halfway point of its ten-year mission, with this year’s finalists selected from nearly 2,500 nominations across 72 countries.
Bangladesh, one of the most climate-vulnerable nations on Earth, faces recurring climate-induced disasters that have displaced people 14.7 million times between 2014 and 2023.
In response, Friendship has developed a holistic model of community resilience—delivering healthcare, education, climate-adaptive infrastructure, legal access, and economic empowerment to some of the country’s most isolated and disaster-prone regions.
Founded by Runa Khan in 2002, Friendship began as a single floating hospital and has since evolved into a social purpose organization serving over 7.5 million people annually.
Its impact includes more than 24 million healthcare services, 8.3 million days of emergency food support, and daily access to safe drinking water for over 80,000 coastal residents.
One of Friendship’s most transformative initiatives is its mangrove restoration program near the Sundarbans.
The organization has planted over 650,000 trees across 200 hectares, creating 62 kilometres of natural embankments that protect more than 125,000 people from deadly cyclones.
These mangroves also serve as vital carbon sinks, contributing to a sustainable blue economy.
Friendship’s nomination falls under the “Fix Our Climate” category, which focuses on equitable clean energy, non-CO₂ emissions, and decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors.
The Earthshot Prize selection panel praised Friendship’s locally led, nature-based solutions as a replicable blueprint for climate adaptation in fragile geographies.
Prince William remarked: “As we reach the halfway point of the Earthshot decade, I am truly inspired by this year’s Finalists, which embody the urgent optimism sitting right at the heart of our mission.”
Runa Khan added: “Being recognized as an Earthshot Prize Finalist is an honour that highlights the resilience and innovation of communities in Bangladesh living on the frontline of climate change. This recognition amplifies their voices and proves that locally driven adaptation is both possible and essential.”
The 2025 Finalists join a growing community of 60 organizations making measurable progress in environmental restoration.
Winners will be selected by the Earthshot Prize Council, chaired by Dame Christiana Figueres, and announced at a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on November 5.