Greek Patriarch Bartholomew gets honorary doctorate

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Fener Greek Bartholomew receives his award by Boğaziçi University. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GÜREL

Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew has been awarded with an honorary doctorate by Istanbul’s Boğaziçi University for his efforts in environmentalism.

Bartholomew was presented the honorary degree, the first that he has ever received in Turkey, at a ceremony that was held at the university campus yesterday. Boğaziçi University sought to bestow Bartholomew with honor “for his pioneering role in several environmental issues, including the protection of ecological balance and biodiversity in the world, providing clean tap water to wider populations across the world, and [raising awareness of] climate change.”

First doctorate from a university in Turkey

Prof. Gülay Barbarosoğlu, rector of Boğaziçi University, said they had realized that the Patriarch had never received an honorary doctorate award from a Turkish university, despite receiving such doctorates from many universities abroad.

Dr. İsmail Beşikçi become the second prominent figure who was bestowed with the honor, with his works on the Kurdish issue.

According to the university, Beşikçi was awarded “for his extraordinary contributions to the improvements in social sciences in Turkey and abroad.”