Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented the Ataturk International Peace Prize to UN Secretary-General António Guterres this Thursday, March 12, for his “determined efforts” in seeking a political solution in Palestine and for his work on behalf of refugees.
“We will always remember with admiration your stance against one of the greatest atrocities of our time, which is Gaza”Erdogan stressed during the award ceremony, held at the presidential palace in Ankara.
“You have maintained a firm stance against this savagery that tests the values of humanity. You have never wavered in your determined work for a two-state solution based on the principles of the United Nations”added the Turkish ruler about the work of the Portuguese politician.
The Turkish head of state also praised the work of the UN Secretary General, whose mandate ends next December, in protecting refugees.
Ankara announced the awards last October, but the ceremony took place now, with Guterres paying a “Ramadan solidarity visit” to Türkiye, “in honor of the generosity of the Turkish people, who welcomed the largest number of refugees” during his mandate, the Portuguese diplomat mentioned on the social network X.
The Ataturk Prize, created in 1986, is inspired by the principle “Peace at home, peace in the world”, defended by the founder of the secular Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938).
Among the previous laureates of this prize are German President Richard von Weizsäcker, in 1987, but also Turkish dictator Kenan Evren (1990) and the authoritarian leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev (1999).
In 1992, Nelson Mandela refused the award, citing Turkey’s repressive history, but, as president of South Africa, he changed his mind and accepted it in 1999.
Guterres is the first person to receive this distinction since 2000, when it was awarded to Rauf Denktas, then president of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The Government has not provided an official explanation for the discontinuation of the decoration since then.
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