German parliament member Cem Ozdemir (left) is presented the Mkhitar Gosh medal in Berlin
BERLIN—Bundestag Member, Greens Party Co-Chair Cem Özdemir, was awarded Armenia’s Mkhitar Gosh Medal for significant contribution toward the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide at a ceremony in the Armenian Embassy in Berlin.
Özdemir was the author of a resolution that passed in 2016 in the German parliament recognizing the Armenian Genocide and condemning Germany’s role in the events of 1915.
On Saturday, the German Der Spiegel magazine published an expose revealing wiretap recordings that directly link Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the anti-Armenian protests held in Berlin a day before the Bundestag began debating the Özdemir-authored resolution.
Armenia’s Ambassador Ashot Smbatyan noted in his opening remarks that “Özdemir has proved with his work that in the present days tolerance and courage have greater significance in establishing mutual understanding between peoples than nationalist calls or isolation from other countries.”
Attending the event were high-ranking German government officials, members of parliament and foreign envoys.