Austria awards Turkish NGO president with ‘Decoration of Honour in Gold’

ANKARA

Akkan Suver, the Marmara Group Foundation president, has been awarded with the “Decoration of Honour in Gold” by the Austrian State during a ceremony held by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen at the Austrian Embassy in Ankara. 

Former Austrian Chancellor Erhard Busek (1991-1995) also took part in the ceremony on Nov. 13. In his speech, Busek said the Marmara Group Foundation is one of the widely-acclaimed and widely-known civil society organizations in Austria.

The Marmara Group Foundation was founded as an independent non-governmental organization in 1985. It organizes meetings, seminars, conferences and prepares reports in order to determine solutions to Turkey’s problems.

Busek emphasized that he came here from Austria just for this medal and congratulated Suver on his success.

Ulrike Tilly, Ambassador of Austria to Ankara, presented the medal to Suver and emphasized that Suver was honored with this medal because of his works that he put forth in the realms of peace and dialogue as a part of civil society.

In his thank you speech, Suver highlighted the importance the Austrian State places on the thought and philosophy of civil society and maintained that he received the medal on behalf of Turkish civil society.

Several foreign mission chefs from Ankara and parliamentarians also attended the ceremony.