In order to celebrate contributions made to international dialogue and the attempts to break down cultural and national boundaries on the world stage, the Averroes prize was created by many leading cultural organisations in the Mediterranean area. The first event was held in Marrakech under the high patronage of his Majesty, the King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Yahya was approached to design and produce two prizes that would highlight the underlying concepts of unity and diversity. The two prizes were awarded to Prince El Hassan Ben Tallal from Jordan and the famous French journalist Jean Daniel, editorial director of "Le Nouvel Observateur".