Ukraine, human rights, global solidarity. These are some of the themes that Mario Draghi touched upon in his speech at the 57th edition of the Annual Awards Dinner of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, the foundation that awarded him the Word Statesman award as statesman of the year . A recognition previously went to Michail Gorbachev, Angela Merkel and Shinzo Abe.
The Italian premier was thanked by American President Joe Biden, in his message to the foundation, for the "powerful voice" with which he promoted human rights .
Henry Kissinger, a 99-year-old former US Secretary of State, also spoke at the ceremony in New York. only for immediate problems ".
"The question of how we deal with autocracies - Draghi said - will define our ability to shape our common future for many years to come. The solution lies in a combination of openness, consistency and commitment ". "We must be clear and explicit about the founding values of our societies. I refer to our belief in democracy and the rule of law, our respect for human rights, our commitment to global solidarity. These ideals should guide our foreign policy in a clear and predictable way ", he added, then paying homage to Shinzo Abe ," who took to this stage last year and received this award. Abe firmly believed in Japan's duty to contribute to global stability. It has acted forcefully to reinvigorate the Japanese economy, through a combination of fiscal policy, monetary policy and supply-side reforms. Abe's life was tragically cut short, but his legacy lives on among the people of Japan and beyond. "
On the situation in Ukraine, "the Russian invasion risks ushering in a new era of polarization, an era we have not seen since the end of the Cold War, " said Draghi.
At the basis of the award received by the Italian premier, the motivation states, is his "long multifaceted leadership in finance and public service which Italy and the European Union have benefited from and which has helped international cooperation", he explained Rabbi Arthur Schneier, president and founder of the foundation.
Other awards went to Robert Craft, founder president and CEO of Kraft Group, and Jean Paul Agon, president of the L'Oreal group, respectively for their commitment to social justice (in particular in the fight against anti-Semitism) and diversity / inclusiveness. .
In the parterre, among others, there was also the Vatican secretary of state Pietro Parolin.
(Unioneonline / ss)
***
PICTURES:
Il premier italiano Mario Draghi all'Annual Awards Dinner di New York