WASHINGTON, August 24, 2018 - The US Senate has unanimously approved a bill in honour of Egypt's pivotal president of the 1970s, Anwar Sadat, the Egyptian Embassy in Washington announced in a statement. Named the Anwar Sadat Centennial Celebration Act, the bill aims to celebrate the president's normalisation of ties with Israel, a bold yet deeply controversial effort which led to his assassination in 1981. "We award the Congressional Gold Medal to Anwar Sadat in recognition of his historic achievements and courageous contributions to peace in the Middle East," the bill reads. "President Sadat is recognised in the United States and throughout the world as a respected leader and champion of peace, whose vision provided a road map for the peaceful resolution of conflict that endures nearly 40 years after its inception. President Sadat bravely reached out to Israel and dedicated himself to peace, furthering the national security of Egypt and the stability of the Middle East." Awarding the honour to Sadat was first discussed in 2017, when Senator Ben Cardin introduced the bill to senate: "President Sadat displayed courage and vision when he negotiated the peace treaty, fundamentally changing the course of history in the Middle East for the better."
