Friendship won the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2025 in the "Fix Our Climate" category. Photo : Collected

DHAKA, Nov 6, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladeshi social purpose organisation Friendship has won the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2025 in the "Fix Our Climate" category for its integrated and holistic development model, marking Bangladesh's first-ever win since the award's inception by Prince William in 2020.

The award, carries a value of 1 million pounds, widely regarded as the world's most distinguished environmental honour, was presented at a ceremony held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 5, said a press release here today. 

Friendship was recognised for its pioneering approach that delivers sustainable, scalable, and locally-led solutions to improve the lives of climate-vulnerable communities through a model that integrates all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to foster long-term impact.

Friendship's Mangrove Afforestation Project was highlighted as a flagship initiative under its climate resilience portfolio. 

To date, the project has planted over 650,000 mangrove trees across 200 hectares and built 62 kilometres of embankments, safeguarding more than 125,000 people from cyclones and storm surges while creating livelihoods for nearly 3,000 households.

By 2030, Friendship aims to expand the project to 1,500 hectares in line with Bangladesh's National Adaptation Plan (2023-2050) and Forestry Master Plan (2017-2036). 

The organisation has also received international acclaim for its eco-conscious architecture, including the Royal Institute of British Architects Award (2021) for Friendship Hospital Shyamnagar and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2016) for the Friendship Centre in Gaibandha.