Türkiye Presents Atatürk International Peace Prize to UN Secretary-General Guterres

By Bosphorus News Staff

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presented the Atatürk International Peace Prize to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the Beştepe Millet Exhibition Hall in Ankara on 12 March 2026. The award, which Türkiye confers on figures deemed to have made outstanding contributions to international peace, was given during Guterres's sixth visit to the country.

Erdoğan framed the presentation as a natural extension of a long and productive partnership, pointing to Guterres's record across multiple roles before and during his tenure at the UN. Speaking at the ceremony, he said: "I take great pleasure in presenting the Atatürk International Peace Prize to my dear friend, who is truly the voice of the silent majority in the pursuit of international peace and security, on the occasion of this sixth visit."

Erdoğan's Tribute to Guterres

Erdoğan praised Guterres's tenure as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, his record as Prime Minister of Portugal, and his handling of crises as Secretary-General, saying: "I have personally witnessed the Secretary-General's devoted work toward leaving a liveable world for future generations."

He also credited Guterres for maintaining a principled position under pressure, including personal attacks and smear campaigns directed at him and the UN: "I believe that your principled and devoted efforts, despite the smear campaigns directed at you and the institution you lead, for overcoming humanitarian crises above all in Gaza and for establishing international peace, are in extraordinary harmony with the spirit, meaning, and goals of this distinguished award of ours."

Diplomacy, Gaza, and the Regional Picture

Erdoğan used the occasion to address the wider regional context, stating that Türkiye was actively engaged in preventing further escalation of what he described as an Iran-centred cycle of violence. "As Türkiye, we are conducting intensive diplomatic traffic to prevent the Iran-centred cycle of violence, which carries the risk of dragging our region into total catastrophe, from growing further. We will continue to work with patience and determination, despite those who wish to crush hopes and make us abandon our struggle."

He also called for the UN to be reformed into a more inclusive institution, reaffirming Türkiye's long-standing position that "the world is bigger than five."

Exhibition and Iftar

Before the award ceremony, Erdoğan, First Lady Emine Erdoğan, and Guterres toured the exhibition "Hope While Resisting Pain: Young People of Gaza" at the Beştepe Millet Exhibition Hall. The visit underscored the thematic link between the award and the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Following the ceremony, the two leaders attended an iftar dinner together.

Emine Erdoğan also shared a message on social media, expressing her hope that the award would serve as a symbol strengthening humanity's shared conscience and multiplying hopes for peace around the world.

Türkiye's UN Ambitions

Erdoğan announced that Türkiye is preparing to host the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change COP31 conference in November 2026. He also reiterated plans to establish a UN House in Istanbul, consolidating UN offices under a single roof, which he said would contribute to Guterres's UN80 initiative. He thanked Guterres specifically for supporting the global expansion of the Zero Waste Project, an initiative launched under Emine Erdoğan's leadership in 2017.