Background
(US Mint) - This medal is a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal presented posthumously to former Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat in recognition of his heroic achievements and courageous contributions to peace in the Middle East.
On September 17, 1978, President Jimmy Carter hosted President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin at Camp David, where the three leaders engaged in 13 days of negotiations that resulted in the Framework for Peace in the Middle East, more commonly known as the “Camp David Accords.”
Following negotiations, President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin signed the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty at the White House on March 26, 1979, and Egypt became the first Arab country to officially recognize Israel. The Peace Treaty featured mutual recognition of each country by the other and ultimately the cessation of the state of war that had existed between Israel and Egypt since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In 1978, both President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Characteristics
The obverse (heads) design features a large, dramatic portrait of Anwar El Sadat. The composition is designed for the portrait to be sculpted in the manner of ancient Egyptian relief, with the figure inset in the surface of the medal and its features sculpted flush with the medal’s surface.The reverse (tails) design depicts the Unknown Soldier Memorial and Anwar El Sadat’s Tomb.