Freedom_Award

Freedom Award

Freedom Award

Humanitarian award for freedom and refugees


The International Rescue Committee (IRC) bestows its Freedom Award for extraordinary contributions to the cause of refugees and human freedom. According to the IRC, "The Freedom Award reveals the remarkable ability of an individual to shape history and change for the better a world moving toward freedom for all."[1]

Quick Facts Awarded for, Country ...

The IRC was founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein,[2] and made its first Freedom Award in 1957, to German politician Willy Brandt, who went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize.[3] The following year, the award was presented to Winston Churchill, British prime minister during the Second World War, for his "dedicated and devoted service to the cause of human liberty".[4] The first joint recipients of the award were Lane Kirkland and his wife Irena who won the prize in 1981.[5] Lane was honored for his "long devotion to the cause of refugees" while Irena was described as "very much a human rights activist".[5] Chinese dissidents Li Shuxian and Fang Lizhi were jointly honored in 1991;[1][6] two American Presidents, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton took the prize as a pair in 2005, and film actress Angelina Jolie and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees High Commissioner António Guterres received the award together in 2007.[7]

Since the first award presentation in 1957, the IRC has made it to 46 recipients, 24 of which were American; the majority of awards have been to politicians. The 1995 presentation was made in absentia to Burmese pro-democracy campaigner and leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, Aung San Suu Kyi.[8][9] The 2011 award ceremony was held in New York City, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in November, where the presentation was made to the Brokaw family.[10] In 2012, John C. Whitehead received the prize for a second time, the only person to do so.[1]

Recipients

More information Year, Image ...

Notes

  • A ^ Lord's award was made posthumously.[1]
  • B ^ Distinguished Humanitarian Award[1]
  • C ^ Distinguished Public Service Award[1]
  • D ^ Special Freedom Award Recipient, in absentia[1]

References

  1. "IRC Freedom Award". International Rescue Committee. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  2. "The Nobel Peace Prize 1971". Nobel Foundation. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  3. "Give Churchill Freedom Award". Gettysburg Times. 1958-05-30. p. 2. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  4. Krebs, Albin (1981-04-07). "Notes on people; Kirklands to Get Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  5. "Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi". BBC News. 2009-08-11. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  6. "2011 Freedom Award: Honoring the Brokaw Family". International Rescue Committee. 2011-11-10. Archived from the original on 2013-07-20. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  7. "Walesa says West to blame if Poland fails". Times-News. 1989-11-17. p. 2. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  8. "Press Release SG/SM/7625". United Nations. 2000-11-15. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  9. "Social Events". The New York Times. 1991-11-03. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  10. "Benefits". The New York Times. 1994-11-20. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  11. "Remarks of Senator John McCain The International Rescue Committee's 2001 Freedom Award Dinner". U.S. Senator John McCain Arizona. 2001-11-14. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  12. "His Excellency President Hamed Karzai". The Embassy of Afghanistan Tokyo. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  13. "Samantha Power IRC Freedom Award Dinner November 10, 2004" (PDF). Harvard University. Archived from the original (pdf) on June 30, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  14. "Biographical Brief of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf". Government of the Republic of Liberia Executive Mansion. Archived from the original on 2010-04-23. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
  15. Lunn, Stephen; Harris, Bret (2008-12-09). "Give 'til it hurts". The Australian. Retrieved 2010-05-19.
  16. Anderson, Monika (2012-11-08). "Kissinger, Bloomberg Honor IRC at Freedom Award Dinner". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  17. International Rescue Committee. "Freedom Award: Honoring George Soros". Rescue.org. International Rescue Committee. Archived from the original on 2015-02-03. Retrieved 22 March 2015.


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