2014 LANTOS PRIZE RECIPIENT
ISRAELI PRESIDENT SHIMON PERES
Nobel Laureate Shimon Peres was a key figure in Israel's founding and served as a chief advocate for peace in the Middle East throughout his life. Awarded the Lantos Human Rights Prize in 2014, Peres is remembered for his dedication to the cause of peace and harmony between Israel and other nations.
Peres, who served as both President and Prime Minister of Israel, was instrumental in the process that led to the Oslo Accords, aimed at reconciling Israel with Palenstine. In 1994, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the negotiations; the Prize was shared between Peres, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. For the remainder of life, he continued his advocacy for democracy, peace and civil rights in the Middle East, founding the Peres Center for Peace in 1996.
Notable speakers at the ceremony included then-Vice President Joe Biden, who delivered opening remarks before presenting the Human Rights Prize to Peres. During his remarks, Biden honored the Prize’s namesake Tom Lantos, noting his lifetime of commitment to human rights.
Shimon Peres passed away in 2016.