In a private ceremony in the presence of a number of government officials, held in Mary Yousef Church in the city of Sulaimaniya, Hero Ibrahim Ahmed received the Vatican Pope Award in appreciation of her efforts and the services provided in child care, human rights and women's rights. She helped displaced people and those with low incomes, as well as strengthened coexistence between religions and different components.
The representative of the Pope said in his speech, "The prize was awarded to Hero Ibrahim Ahmed for her efforts in child services, human rights and women rights as well as the protection of peaceful coexistence and helping displaced people and tolerance among religions. The Vatican Pope Award is granted on an annual basis for 20 years. All the previous winners were men, and Hero Ibrahim is the first woman to win the award.
Hero Ibrahim Ahmed is an Iraqi political Kurdish. She is the daughter of the Kurdish writer Ibrahim Ahmad and the wife of former Secretary General of the National Union of Kurdistan Galal Talabani. She was born in 1948 in Sulaimaniya, and graduated from Al-Mustansiriya University, Department of Psychology. She married Galal Talabani in 1977 and has two sons.