Atatürk International Peace Prize

The Atatürk International Peace Prize (Turkish: Atatürk Uluslararası Barış Ödülü) is an award delivered since 1986 to award real people and organizations who have made memorable contributions to world peace in accordance of Kemal Atatürk's quotation, "Peace at Home, Peace in the World".[1] It has been created during the presidency of coup leader Kenan Evren,[2] by the Atatürk Association for Culture Language and History.[3] The award is to be awarded to candidates nominated by members of non-governmental organizations, the Senate of Turkish universities and also the Secretary Generals of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The President of Turkey as well as the speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey can also present candidates.[1] After the prize was not awarded for 13 years after 2000, in 2013 it was decided to award it only every five years.[4] An award was to be given in 2015,[4][5] but was no ceremony is documented. The next award is planned to be given in 2020.[1]

Laureates

Laureates of the Atatürk International Peace Prize
YearLaureatePositionComments
1986 Joseph LunsSecretary General of NATO
1987 Richard von WeizsäckerPresident of Germany
1989 Takahito MikasaJapanese prince and academicAt the award ceremony, he stated that world peace can only be achieved after poverty is eliminated.[6]
1990 Kenan EvrenPresident of TurkeyThe fact that Kenan Evren was awarded with the prize is seen by some as the reason for why Nelson Mandela has not accepted the prize.[4]
1992 Nelson MandelaPresident of South AfricaNelson Mandela created an uproar in Turkish society when he did not accept the prize. Following this decision, the newspaper Hürriyet published an issue with the headline "Ugly African" (Turkish: Çirkin Afrikalı).[7] Mandela changed his mind and accepted the award in 1999.[8]
1995 Turkish Red CrescentTurkish NGO
1996 UNICEFChildren emergency fund of the United Nations
1997 Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovinapeacekeeping force of NATOFor their achievements in maintaining peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
1999 Heydar AliyevPresident of AzerbaijanSeveral of his policies were inspired by Atatürk.[9]
2000 Rauf DenktaşPresident of the Turkish Republic of Cyprus

References