Alexis Tsipras, who was also the keynote speaker at today’s graduation ceremony of the Turkish university, was declared an honorary doctorate of Koc University.

Mr. Tsipras said that exactly one year ago, he publicly announced his decision to step down from the front line of politics, after 15 consecutive years as the leader of his party. “It’s a decision I don’t regret,” he noted. “A few days later, while I was walking on a main street in Athens, a young Turk approached me and surprised me, telling me not to give up. He told me that the Turks have a saying: Boyun eğme. -Keep your head up, he said. This is something I will always remember,” he added. The former Prime Minister said that “so today, one year later, as I congratulate you on your graduation, I would like you to remember these words.

For all the great moments and all the great challenges ahead. For everything you will need to fight for – in your life, for your country, your families or your future. You have to find a way to evolve while maintaining your principles. And always remember: boyun eğme’.

Alexis Tsipras told the graduates that the degree they hold in their hands gives them the tools to understand the new opportunities this revolution brings in medicine, commerce, IT, communication and energy. “But you also have to recognize and see that the potential for abuse of these technologies is increasing in relation to civil liberties and deepening inequalities,” he said, noting that “global poverty, migration, war, the destruction of natural of the planet’s ecosystems are not ‘natural disasters’: they are consequences of human choices”. “Choices like the ones you will find in front of you. In this context, you have to find a way to evolve in a changing world while maintaining your principles and values,” he underlined.

“‘If you want to test a man’s character, give him power,'” Abraham Lincoln once said. And I believe that all of you here who are graduating today will one day hold power, in some capacity. As great scientists, as entrepreneurs, as politicians or as leaders in the fields you will be active in,” he continued. He pointed out that having the power to change things is a big challenge, and emphasized: “Realizing your goals in life is a great thing, but the biggest challenge of all is how you decide to use the power you have: Will you have the patience to listen?’

Mr. Tsipras noted that “we need to continue our efforts for a fair and sustainable solution of the Cypriot issue on the basis of the UN resolutions, for the reunification of the island for the benefit of the entire Cypriot people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots”. He emphasized that “even in this period of relative calm in Greek-Turkish relations, we must work hard to refer the delimitation of our continental shelf and exclusive economic zone to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.” He said that “the people of Greece and Turkey deserve a future of peace on the basis of international law” and that “based on these critical steps in the Eastern Mediterranean, we can and must open the perspective for upgrading EU-Turkey relations in all of them”. Referring to Nazim Hikmet’s verse: “the most beautiful sea is the one we have not yet sailed,” Mr. Tsipras emphasized that “this must be the Eastern Mediterranean, a sea of ​​mutual respect for our sovereignty and sovereign rights. A sea of ​​peace and cooperation’ and ‘to achieve this, we must build relationships of respect and trust on the basis of international law’.

Alexis Tsipras said that “trust takes time to build, but it can be lost in an instant” and that “it cannot be won with a few spectacular gestures. It has nothing to do with heroism. It’s important to be persistent, to have an open mind, but a fixed eye on the goal.”

“Our goal is to produce progressive policies for Peace, Justice and Sustainable Development. Underscoring that the time for progressive change is now and we cannot afford to stand in the way, to pass on the responsibilities and problems to the next generations, on any of the critical issues for our common future,” he stressed.