Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis received one of the four Global Citizen Awards by the Atlantic Council in a ceremony in New York on Monday.
Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has supported democracy in his country and is committed to strengthening the US-Ghana relationship.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis have played pivotal roles in NATO, the European Union, and the transatlantic alliance.
In addition, the event honored CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Miky Lee for her commitment to championing South Korean films and culture globally.
“This evening, the Atlantic Council recognizes a rare few who inspire us and the world to shine, to believe in something better, and strive for something brighter, and safeguard those ideals we hold sacrosanct. They represent the very best of our transatlantic partnership and serve as beacons, guiding us toward our highest aspiration,” said Atlantic Council Chairman John F.W. Rogers.
Mitsotakis’s speech at the Awards
“This award belongs to the people of Greece for their resilience and their perseverance,” said Mitsotakis at the beginning of his speech.
Not too long ago, Greece was perceived as the “sick man of Europe,” a country that had suffered a “profound” economic depression, went through social upheaval, and “experimented with populism,” Mitsotakis said upon receiving the Award.
But now, he added, Greece has “convincingly turned the corner and is becoming again a stable democracy with a growing economy.”
How the country turned the corner is relevant beyond Greece, Mitsotakis added, and not simply because Athens is now a more stable and predictable ally and partner. There is a wider political lesson as well. “What we have achieved in Greece is to demonstrate that one can actually govern from the political center,” he explained.
Too often in politics today, he said, too much emphasis is put on pure ideology and too little on delivering results. “The keys to success of every government at the end of the day is effective delivery, and not all issues are ideological,” Mitsotakis stressed.
At the same time, when fighting against populists, who believe they have “simple solutions to complicated problems,” it is critical to remember that “the grievances of the people who vote for populists are very much real,” he said.
These grievances might stem from economic inequality, issues of identity, or the consequences of globalization, but, Mitsotakis said, “We need to be very careful to address them and certainly, certainly not appear condescending to the concerns of average people.”
Before presenting the prime minister with the award, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla—a 2021 recipient of the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished Leadership Award—said that Mitsotakis’s impact reaches beyond Greece, throughout Europe, and across the transatlantic alliance.
He praised Mitsotakis for being “a rising voice for peace and equity” globally and “a visionary champion of a new era of economic prosperity.”