Exactly one year ago Alexis Tsipras publicly announced his decision to resign from front-line politics, after 15 consecutive years as leader of his party.
Today, as part of his speech as keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony of Turkey’s Koc University, at which he received an honorary doctorate, he said that:
“It’s a decision I don’t regret”.
“A few days later, while walking along a main street in Athens, a young Turkish man approached me and surprised me, telling me not to give up. He told me that the Turks have a saying: Boyun eğme. -Keep your head up, he said. That is something I will always remember,” he added. The former Prime Minister said that “so today, a year later, as I congratulate you on your graduation, he would like you to remember these words.
For all the great moments and all the great challenges that lie ahead. For everything you will need to fight for – in your life, in your country, in your families or in your future. You have to find a way to evolve while maintaining your principles. And always remember: boyun eğme».
What did he say to the graduates?
Alexis Tsipras told the graduates that the diploma they hold in their hands gives them the tools to understand the new opportunities that this revolution brings in medicine, commerce, IT, communications and energy.
“But we also need to recognize and see that the potential for abuse of these technologies in relation to civil liberties and deepening inequalities is increasing,” he said, noting that “Global poverty, migration, war, the destruction of the planet’s natural ecosystems are not ‘natural disasters’: they are consequences of human choices.”
“Choices like the ones you will find in front of you. In this context, you need to find a way to evolve in a changing world, maintaining your principles and values”, he highlighted.
“’If you want to test a man’s character, give him power,’ Abraham Lincoln once said. And I believe that all of you here who are graduating today will one day hold power, in some way. As great scientists, as businesspeople, as politicians or as leaders in the fields in which you will be active,” he continued.
The big challenge
He stressed that having the power to change things is a great challenge and emphasized: “Achieving your goals in life is a great thing, but the biggest challenge of all is how you decide to use the power you have: will you have the patience to listen?
To the Cyprus question
Tsipras noted that “we need to continue our efforts for a just and sustainable solution of the Cyprus issue based on UN resolutions, for the reunification of the island for the benefit of all the Cypriot people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.”
He stressed that “even in this period of relative calm in Greek-Turkish relations, we must work hard to submit the delimitation of our continental shelf and exclusive economic zone to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.”
Relations between Greece and Türkiye
He stated that “the people of Greece and Turkey deserve a peaceful future based on international law” and that “on the basis of these critical steps in the Eastern Mediterranean, we can and must open the perspective for the improvement of EU-Turkey relations in all aspects of them”. Referring to Nazim Hikmet’s verse: “the most beautiful sea is the one we have not yet sailed”, Tsipras stressed that “this must be the Eastern Mediterranean, a sea of mutual respect for our sovereignty and sovereign rights. A sea of peace and cooperation” and “to achieve this, we must build relations of respect and trust based on international law”.
Alexis Tsipras said that “trust takes time to build, but can be lost in an instant” and that “it cannot be gained with a few spectacular gestures”. It has nothing to do with heroism. It’s important to be persistent, have an open mind, but keep your eyes fixed on the objective.”
“Our goal is to produce progressive policies for Peace, Justice and Sustainable Development. Emphasizing that the time for progressive change is now and we cannot afford to stand in the way, to transfer responsibilities and problems to future generations, on any of the issues critical to our common future,” he stressed.
AMP Source