Athens Municipality Awards the Democracy prize to Israeli journalist Gideon Levy

The Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, presented the Democracy Prize 2025 to Israeli writer and writer Gideon Levy during a ceremonial held connected Wednesday, October 1, astatine the Olympia Municipal Music Theatre “Maria Callas.”

Mayor’s Speech

During the ceremony, Mayor Haris Doukas said:
“Gideon Levy, the antheral we grant today, writes to disturb. He writes astir the children who ne'er turn up successful Gaza, astir teenagers who bash not dream, astir young radical who bash not program a future, astir mothers burying their children, astir neighborhoods being destroyed, astir violations of quality rights. And helium has been informing for years: militarism, fanaticism, the triumph of the regularisation of the strongest, soundlessness successful the look of injustice — each provender the rhythm of bloodshed that has opened and closed for much than fractional a period successful the Middle East. Gideon Levy’s dependable proves that journalism, erstwhile it honors its mission, is not conscionable a instrumentality for informing — it is an enactment of absorption and motivation responsibility. Because the top transgression is not what happens, but that nary 1 speaks astir it.”

Acceptance Speech

Accepting the Democracy Prize, Gideon Levy stated:
“I americium genuinely moved. I deliberation this is the top grant I person ever received successful my beingness and I americium profoundly grateful. I would similar to dedicate it to those who genuinely merit it. It is not me. It is the journalists of Gaza. More than 200 person been killed by Israel. Those who past are the eyes, conscience, ears, and narrators of world astatine this moment. They are the lone witnesses to what is happening there. And your applause contiguous is genuinely the close grant for them.”

On Peace and Current Politics

Mayor Doukas besides addressed caller governmental developments successful the Middle East:
“We anticipation and privation that today’s lawsuit volition coincide with the opening of bid developments successful the Middle East. We each look with anticipation to the connection presently nether discussion, though not without skepticism. It gives hope, due to the fact that bid successful the portion means nutrient for the children of Rafah, drinking h2o for the children of Khan Yunis, energy for hospitals successful Gaza City. Because bid means the close of a kid to turn up without the dependable of bombings. Yet astatine this moment, determination is skepticism astir however viable a connection is that inactive leaves Palestinians without a homeland.”

On Media Coverage of Gaza

Gideon Levy besides criticized Israeli media sum of the warfare successful Gaza:
“Every mean Greek national learns acold much astir what is happening successful Gaza than the mean Israeli. They don’t privation to spot Gaza. And the timid, complicit Israeli media assistance them not to spot Gaza. For an mean Israeli and Israeli media, determination are lone 20 radical surviving successful Gaza today. The 20 hostages — these are the lone radical who unrecorded successful Gaza. Everything other does not matter.”

Event Attendance and Additional Highlights

The grant ceremonial was attended successful idiosyncratic by distinguished guests, journalists, and online audiences via the Athens Municipality Facebook page. After the grant ceremony, determination was a little show excerpt titled “The Drama of Democracy“ by the Karolos Koun Art Theatre.

About Gideon Levy

Born successful Tel Aviv successful 1953, Gideon Levy has worked for the paper Haaretz since 1982. Through his file Twilight Zone, helium has highlighted the regular world of Palestinians nether occupation. His enactment has established him arsenic 1 of Israel’s bravest voices, perpetually criticizing the concern and exposing quality rights violations successful Gaza and the West Bank.

He has received galore planetary awards including the Emil Grunzweig Human Rights Award (1996), Anna Lindh Journalism Award (2008), Peace Through Media Award (2012), Olof Palme Prize (2015), and Israel’s prestigious Sokolov Prize for Journalism (2021).

The Democracy Prize 2025

The Democracy Prize is simply a reproduction of an past vase (krater) designed by artist-sculptor Eleftheria Papadouraki, a postgraduate of the Athens School of Fine Arts.

The vase replaces accepted red-figure decorative scenes with a modern black-figure geometric composition. It symbolizes unchangeable crushed — a worth strategy upon which modern wide ideology stands. White and achromatic correspond duality: airy and dark, beingness and absence, beingness and death, void and fullness.

The basal of the grant is made of plexiglass, contrasting with the clay of the vase, symbolizing the harmony of materials and the timelessness of values. Transparent plexiglass emphasizes the narration betwixt worldly traces and memory, betwixt humanities substance and transcendence.

History of the Award

The Democracy Prize of the City of Athens was established successful 2016 and is awarded annually to personalities oregon organizations with internationally recognized work, motivation integrity, and dedication to the values of wide democracy, quality rights, and the regularisation of law.

This year’s grant ceremonial took spot during the Athens Democracy Forum, organized by the Democracy and Culture Foundation successful practice with the City of Athens and The New York Times.

Following the ceremony, Mayor Haris Doukas and Gideon Levy gave a associated property league moderated by writer Panos Charitos.