José Pedro Aguiar-Branco addressed parliament during the opening ceremony of the 2024 edition of the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe, attended by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Carlos Abreu Amorim.
The 2024 prize was awarded to United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos, who holds the position of High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and the initiative allowing refugees to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Regarding the initiative enabling refugee participation in the Olympic and Paralympic competitions, the President of the Assembly acknowledged its inception nine years ago at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
“Nine years later, these athletes have demonstrated in Paris that hard work pays off when opportunities are guaranteed. These athletes serve as examples, as do the institutions that created the necessary conditions for refugees in sports to showcase their talents and personal ambitions,” he emphasized.
In his speech, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco noted that the annual awarding of this prize has become part of the Assembly’s calendar.
“It is a joyful occasion celebrating the most important values of democracies, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. It is also an opportunity to bring together personalities from diverse origins and to recognize that the values we share are not confined to the European continent or any specific geography,” noted the President of the Assembly.
José Pedro Aguiar-Branco remarked that the Assembly’s involvement in hosting this ceremony “symbolizes the significance the Portuguese State places on the work carried out by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe.”
“It is also a symbol of our shared values’ relevance – values for which the various awardees act. They are individuals and institutions who do not resign, who believe, and make things happen,” he highlighted.
He further pointed out that in Portugal, “few ceremonies bring together in parliament the President of the Republic and the President of the Assembly to award a prize, in the presence of government members and national and international entities.”
“And it is so, due to the unwavering commitment of the Portuguese State to these shared values,” he concluded.
