Shimon Peres, the only person to serve as both Prime Minister and President of the Jewish State, is one of Israel’s most prominent and distinguished politicians serving Israel for over 70 years. Before becoming president in 2007, Peres served in many other offices, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, during which he facilitated the peace agreement between Israel and Palestine known as the Oslo Accords, earning him the 1994 Noble Peace Prize. He continued these peace efforts through his term as president by promoting relations with additional Arab countries in North Africa and the Persian Gulf. In 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Peres with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, for his efforts in promoting world peace. In 2014, he received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award the US Congress can bestow. Peres is being honored with this award for the great commitment he has shown, like that of Metropolitan Chrysostomos, to combat violence, discrimination, and intolerance in the Middle East.