January 27, 2004
Jamaica, NY - St. John’s University proudly honored Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey, in a special convocation on Monday, January 26, 2004. St. John’s conferred upon Prime Minister Erdogan the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, in recognition of Mr. Erdogan’s outreach to Western nations and in celebration of St. John’s continued global focus and collaboration with other nations. Approximately 300 people, from Turkey and the United States, attended the event.
“We honor a statesman who heads a nation which has long been a friend of the United States of America,” said Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s University. “The Prime Minister has quickly taken his place on the world stage and in doing so he has marked himself as a man who seeks peace, reconciliation and respect for all. His outreach to other nations, both for a conciliatory resolution to the long standing division on the island of Cyprus, and as a mediator between Syria and Israel, are qualities which we as a university highly respect and applaud.”
Pictured here are: P.M. Erdogan and Fr. Harrington in the academic robes worn at the convocation cerermony.
For more information, and to RSVP, please call Jody Fisher, Director of Media Relations, at 718-990-6285 or at fisherjo@stjohns.edu.