Since 1959, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has presented the Edward Warner Award, the highest honor in global civil aviation. Named after Dr. Edward Pearson Warner, the first President of the ICAO Council, the award recognizes individuals or institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the development of international civil aviation. It consists of a gold medal and a certificate of recognition, and is granted by ICAO on behalf of its 193 Member States.
Over more than six decades, the Edward Warner Award has honored aviation pioneers, engineers, legal experts, medical professionals, academics, and international organizations. Among the recipients are iconic figures such as Charles Lindbergh, Igor Sikorsky, Jerome Lederer, Assad Kotaite, and David Warren, inventor of the flight data recorder. In total, 43 individuals and institutions have received the award, and only three women have been among them—now joined by Spanish advocate Pilar Vera Palmés.
2025 – 44th Edward Warner Award
Pilar Vera’s nomination was submitted by the Government of Spain. She has now been selected as the recipient of the 44th Edward Warner Award. Pilar is the President of the Air Crash Victims’ Families’ Federation International (ACVFFI) and of the Spanish Aviation Safety Foundation (FaSA20). Her work over the past 17 years has been defined by tireless advocacy for aviation safety, victim assistance, and improvements in accident investigation protocols.
She has driven legislative changes in Spain and the European Union, promoted key ICAO resolutions, and led international initiatives such as the World Day of Remembrance for Air Accident Victims and Their Families and the triennial Symposium on Assistance to Aircraft Accident Victims and their Families.
Award Ceremony
During the ceremony held at ICAO’s 42nd General Assembly in Montreal, Pilar delivered a deeply moving speech that traced her journey from personal tragedy to global advocacy. She recalled her first visit to ICAO in 2010, where she and Hans Ephraimson, a fellow advocate, began the push to revise Circular 285. That effort culminated in the creation of ICAO Document 9998, the Policy on Assistance to Aircraft Accident Victims and Their Families.
She emphasized that victims have contributed their lives to aviation safety, and that their voices must be included in shaping the future of civil aviation. Pilar also highlighted the milestones that underpin this recognition: the creation of ACVFFI, the inclusion of victim assistance in ICAO audits, and the establishment of the first Aviation Safety Foundation in Spain.
“What kind of aviation safety do we want, and what are we doing to achieve it?” she asked. “No one who uses the plane is safe from dying or surviving if the flight does not reach its destination.”
Her speech was a call to action for ICAO Member States and the aviation industry to support the mission of ACVFFI and ensure that victim assistance is not treated as a gesture, but as a moral, legal, and technical obligation.
A Historic Recognition
This recognition marks a historic milestone: for the first time, the Edward Warner Award is granted to a Spanish woman, a bereaved family member, and someone without a technical background in aviation.
Pilar Vera is not an engineer or pilot. She is a citizen who transformed personal tragedy into a global cause. Her work has ensured that victims and families are heard, protected, and supported, and that aviation safety evolves with a human-centered approach.
The award not only honors Pilar’s legacy, but also amplifies the mission of ACVFFI and all victims’ associations, affirming that civil aviation must include those who have endured its most painful failures. It is a tribute to memory, resilience, and justice.
“Thank you very much for recognizing the Air Crash Victims’ Families Federation International. It is much more than a dream come true because its story is mine.”
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