Israel will award Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades with the Presidential Medal of Honour, the Israeli Presidency announced on Tuesday.
The official award ceremony will take place at 12 noon at the Presidential Palace in Jerusalem. Anastasiades is in Israel for an official visit.
The Cypriot President will be presented with the Medal of Honour by his Israeli counterpart Yitzhak Herzog.
In an explanatory note of the selection committee for the award stated that “Nicos Anastassiades’ presidential term, from 2013 until today, is intertwined with saving the economy of Cyprus and strengthening the position of his country internationally” adding that “Under his administration, Cyprus has been a loyal partner of Israel, promoting the importance of close bilateral ties, political proximity and the cultivation of feelings of mutual respect.”
It concluded that “President Anastassiades is a true friend of Israel, who believes that the closeness and mutual respect between Israel and Cyprus do not just belong in the realm of diplomacy, but stem from true feelings of friendship between the two countries.”
The honour was established by in 2012, following an initiative by the late President of Israel, Shimon Peres, to award it to those “who have made an outstanding contribution to the State of Israel or to humanity, through their talents, services, or in any other form.”
This distinction has been awarded so far to 26 personalities from Israel and abroad.
US President, Joe Biden, and Czech President Milos Zeman have been honoured with the same distinction.
