The Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, presented the Democracy Prize 2025 to Israeli journalist and author Gideon Levy during a ceremony held on Wednesday, October 1, at the Olympia Municipal Music Theatre “Maria Callas.”

Mayor’s Speech

During the ceremony, Mayor Haris Doukas said:
“Gideon Levy, the man we honor today, writes to disturb. He writes about the children who never grow up in Gaza, about teenagers who do not dream, about young people who do not plan a future, about mothers burying their children, about neighborhoods being destroyed, about violations of human rights. And he has been warning for years: militarism, fanaticism, the triumph of the rule of the strongest, silence in the face of injustice — all feed the cycle of bloodshed that has opened and closed for more than half a century in the Middle East. Gideon Levy’s voice proves that journalism, when it honors its mission, is not just a tool for informing — it is an act of resistance and moral responsibility. Because the greatest crime is not what happens, but that no one speaks about it.”

Acceptance Speech

Accepting the Democracy Prize, Gideon Levy stated:
“I am truly moved. I think this is the greatest honor I have ever received in my life and I am deeply grateful. I would like to dedicate it to those who truly deserve it. It is not me. It is the journalists of Gaza. More than 200 have been killed by Israel. Those who survive are the eyes, conscience, ears, and narrators of reality at this moment. They are the only witnesses to what is happening there. And your applause tonight is truly the right award for them.”

On Peace and Current Politics

Mayor Doukas also addressed recent political developments in the Middle East:
“We hope and wish that today’s event will coincide with the beginning of peace developments in the Middle East. We all look with anticipation to the proposal currently under discussion, though not without skepticism. It gives hope, because peace in the region means food for the children of Rafah, drinking water for the children of Khan Yunis, electricity for hospitals in Gaza City. Because peace means the right of a child to grow up without the sound of bombings. Yet at this moment, there is skepticism about how viable a proposal is that still leaves Palestinians without a homeland.”

On Media Coverage of Gaza

Gideon Levy also criticized Israeli media coverage of the war in Gaza:
“Every average Greek citizen learns far more about what is happening in Gaza than the average Israeli. They don’t want to see Gaza. And the timid, complicit Israeli media help them not to see Gaza. For an average Israeli and Israeli media, there are only 20 people living in Gaza today. The 20 hostages — these are the only people who live in Gaza. Everything else does not matter.”

Event Attendance and Additional Highlights

The award ceremony was attended in person by distinguished guests, journalists, and online audiences via the Athens Municipality Facebook page. After the award ceremony, there was a brief performance excerpt titled “The Drama of Democracy“ by the Karolos Koun Art Theatre.

About Gideon Levy

Born in Tel Aviv in 1953, Gideon Levy has worked for the newspaper Haaretz since 1982. Through his column Twilight Zone, he has highlighted the daily reality of Palestinians under occupation. His work has established him as one of Israel’s bravest voices, constantly criticizing the occupation and exposing human rights violations in Gaza and the West Bank.

He has received numerous international 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 a reproduction of an ancient vase (krater) designed by artist-sculptor Eleftheria Papadouraki, a graduate of the Athens School of Fine Arts.

The vase replaces traditional red-figure decorative scenes with a modern black-figure geometric composition. It symbolizes stable ground — a value system upon which modern liberal democracy stands. White and black represent duality: light and dark, presence and absence, life and death, void and fullness.

The base of the award 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 relationship between material traces and memory, between historical matter and transcendence.

History of the Award

The Democracy Prize of the City of Athens was established in 2016 and is awarded annually to personalities or organizations with internationally recognized work, moral integrity, and dedication to the values of liberal democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

This year’s award ceremony took place during the Athens Democracy Forum, organized by the Democracy and Culture Foundation in cooperation with the City of Athens and The New York Times.

Following the ceremony, Mayor Haris Doukas and Gideon Levy gave a joint press conference moderated by journalist Panos Charitos.