The former president of Finland and prize Peace Nobel Martti Ahtisaari died this Monday at the age of 86 in Helsinki after a long illness, reported the Finnish Presidency Office.
Ahtisaari, who twice recovered from covid-19had suffered from memory disorders for years and had retired from public life after a long career as a politician, diplomat and peace mediator.
The current president of Finland, Sauli Niinistöexpressed his condolences in a statement and highlighted the outstanding role that Ahtisaari played in the recent history of the Nordic country.
“Martti Ahtisaari believed in humanity, civilization and goodness and lived a great and extraordinary life. He was the president in a time of change that led Finland into the global era of European Union“said Niinistö.
Born in 1937, Ahtisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his “important efforts made on different continents and for more than three decades to resolve international conflicts,” according to the Oslo Nobel Committee.