The International League of Humanists decided to decorate Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu with the "Leader of the 21st Century Award".***
SARAJEVO
In an exclusive interview with the AA, Zdravko Surlan, secretary-general of Sarajevo-based International League of Humanists, said that the non-profit international association of eminent humanists was established at a meeting held at the Inter-University Center in Dubrovnik, Croatia (then a part of Yugoslavia) in 1974.
"The First International Congress of The International League of Humanists was held in Philadelphia, USA, in 1976 with participants from around the world including a seven-member delegation from Turkey. So far, we awarded Pope John Paul II, who visited Sarajevo following the civil war, and Don Juan Antonio Samaranch, who served as the seventh president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1980 to 2001," he said.
"This year, we decided to present Davutoglu with the Leader of the 21st Century Awar for his contributions to peace and dialogue in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Balkans. Turkey and Davutoglu have made significant contributions to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Especially Davutoglu has played a leading role in detente among breakaway countries from the former Yugoslavia. Davutoglu is a leader who paved the way for peace and dialogue in the Balkans. Bosnia, Croatian and Serbian members of the association made this decision jointly," he said.
Surlan said, "we attach great importance to Davutoglu's mission in the Balkans and in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Because he well-knows our problems and our history. On numerous occasions, Davutoglu said that he wanted to see Bosnia-Herzegovina as a modern country."
"Each time I listen to him, I am really impressed with Davutoglu. He is a diplomat, writer, historian, philosopher and humanist. He attaches equal importance to each nations," he added.
The International League of Humanists has members in 160 countries. Its primary objective is promotion of worldwide peace and human rights.