Wei Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue Number: A230-W120
魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A230-W120
Release Date: September 23, 2006
发布日：2006年9月23日
Topic: Wei Jingsheng Receives "Stefano Bellaveglia Award" by Fondazione Liberal in Siena University, Siena, Italy
标题：魏京生在意大利的锡耶那大学接受自由基金会颁奖
Original Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)
此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
Note: Please use "Simplified Chinese (GB2312)" encoding to view the Chinese parts of this release. If this mail does not display properly in your email program, please visit:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2006/report2006-09/Siena060923WJSawardA230-W120.htm which contains identical information.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wei Jingsheng Receives "Stefano Bellaveglia Award" by Fondazione Liberal in Siena University, Siena, Italy
On September 22 and 23, 2006, Mr. Wei Jingsheng was in Siena, Italy, to receive the first "Stefano Bellaveglia Award" by Fondazione Liberal, as well as attending an international conference "Cina e Liberta (China and Liberty)" at San Vigilio Universita in Siena, Italy.
The "Stefano Bellaveglia Award" is newly established in the name of Stefano Bellaveglia, a long time international activist of human rights and freedom, who was just passed away a few months ago.
Archbishop of Siena Antonio Buoneristiani, Siena Mayor Maurizio Cenni, Foundation president Gabriello Mancini, and other internationally known scholars and activists attended this conference with title of " World Powers to Human Rights: What the Western World Could Do?". Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong, the highest rank Chinese named by the Vatican, also attended the conference and received "Siena Liberty Award".
During the events, Mr. Wei Jingsheng received a number of interviews by many news media, including TV, radio, magazines, such as Italian National TV Channel 2, Asia News, Tempi, etc. These exposures brought Italy to a new level of attention towards Chinese human rights, as well as preventing the lift of the weapon embargo by the European Union.
The following is Mr. Wei's speech that concludes the end of the two days conference.
__ __ __
Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for the honor to speak you. I will take this opportunity to tell everyone a few personal stories. These stories were very instructive for me, which teach me what is liberty and freedom, as well as the cost of liberty and freedom.
Everyone is discussing freedom. Philosophers are discussing it, literary scholars are discussing it, and more than a few politicians play with this term too. But what is freedom really worth to us? Why do we pay such a high price for freedom? I trust many friends (in the audience) are like me, often asking themselves this sort of question.
I recall when I was still in prison. There was a convict who had previously been a public official who asked me this question. He said that while he was an official he never realized freedom is so precious. At that time he was very influential, and of course, because of the habit of corruption in Chinese official circles, he was also very rich. Many people were deprived of freedom at his hand. Some were carelessly deprived of freedom without a second thought; he did not think freedom was of any significance. Even when his own freedom was about to be taken away, he still did not think it was of importance. So he willingly took on blame for the actions of another, standing in for a greedy official and adding a few extra years to his sentence. He enjoys hearing praise for his actions.
He knew others had greased the wheels for him at the prison. The maltreatment received by common prisoners, he did not have to receive. The punishment received by common prisoners, he did not have to suffer. The benefits not received by common prisoners, he enjoyed. Including special treatment not permitted by prison regulations. But he still felt unhappy, it was a sort of unexplainable unhappiness. Not only was his heart heavy, his health was also worse than before. He always felt his health and life were lacking something.
I suggested to him that he was probably lacking freedom. Freedom is something man is born with, like the air we breathe, it is something we should have naturally. So people do not notice freedom. Only when people have lost it, and when they feel unhappy, only then do they understand that it is the most precious thing of all.
After a while he came again to ask: "you were locked in solitary confinement, where freedom is even less than for us here. Why does it seem you do not look that unhappy? Everyday you seem brimming with happiness." I said, "In losing my freedom I am as sad as you are. Then I remember that although I lost my freedom, one billion Chinese will, because of my loss, gain a little more freedom. This sort of joy overcomes my unhappiness. He told me that he still did not understand, because other people's freedom certainly could not compensate for the freedom I had lost. "You still do not have your freedom," he said.
I thought for a minute, and then I told him a story about a police officer and me. There was an old police officer who saw me in a dark prison cell; aside from reading there was only a five step long cell in which to stroll. As I strolled I pondered problems, my face lit up with a smile, I looked very relaxed. He thought it was strange, so he asked me: "You fought for other's freedom, but now you have lost yours, can it be true that without freedom there is still something worth being happy about?" I responded in an instant: "I do not feel I am without freedom. You tell me, of the two of us, who is more free?" As soon he heard that he laughed, "I tend the prison, you live in prison, and of course I am more free than you."
I said, "Not necessarily." When he heard that he started to laugh again; he made me tell him why. I asked him "I may be locked up in prison, but if I want to say something, I dare to say it, do you dare?" He stood there stupefied, giving no response. At that time I suddenly realized a principle: a person's foremost freedom is inner freedom. A body without freedom can be due to the others, but freedom of the spirit is something others cannot deprive you of. But a weak temperament often leads us to deprive ourselves of that inner freedom. We lock ourselves up in an inner prison of the spirit.
This especially happens under tyrannical rule or when tempted by enormous gain. People often suppress their own conscience to adapt to tyrannical rule or to meet the needs of their selfish interests. To go and do things against ones convictions, even to the point of helping a tyrannical government deprive countless people of their freedom. At the same time there are also some other people, who for their own and everyone's liberty go and resist the tyrannical government. Thus freedom becomes political. Depriving freedom and fighting for freedom have become the main themes of politics. Thousands and thousands of people have, in fighting for their own and others' freedom, lost their lives or their freedom to tyranny. Prisons have many of a new kind of prisoner, called as political prisoners. Political prisoners are by-products of tyrannical and corrupt governments.
What is a political prisoner? I have heard many definitions. I always feel they are not quite right. While in prison I encountered a prisoner. He came from a mountainous region. He could not read and had committed a very disgraceful crime. He was sent by the prison officials to watch over the political prisoners. On one occasion he felt wronged and came and found me to complain, he blurted out: "We are not like you political prisoners, even the police respect you." I was amazed at what he said, so I asked him "Do you understand what a political prisoner is? Tell me what a political prisoner is." He said: "Of course I understand. We criminals have harmed others for our own benefit; you political prisoners have harmed yourselves for the benefit of others."
This is the simplest and most precise definition I have heard. Over the last several thousand years, humanity has been able to resist evil powers and tyranny because there is a group of this sort of people, people who will sacrifice themselves for others benefit and freedom. Under tyrannical rule, these saints and martyrs sacrificed themselves or become political prisoners, so that others may gain freedom. Under a free system they would not become political prisoners, but they still would sacrifice their own gains solely to benefit others.
Without this group of people, our freedom would be less than it is today. With this group of people working, this world's tyranny and suffering will be reduced. The friends present are all working to increase freedom in the world and to reduce the suffering of humanity and in doing paying a greater or lesser price for it. Thank you everyone. We will work hard together, without ceasing.
Thank you.
-- Wei, Jingsheng
__ __ __
Related websites：
Fondazione Liberal: www.liberalfondazione.it
Italian Asia news: www.asianews.it
Italian National TV channel 2: www.rai.it
Italian Tempi weekly magazine：www.tempi.it
Related photos:
1. Mr. Wei Jingsheng receives "Premio Stefano Bellaveglia":
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609award-c-3.jpg
2. Mr. Wei Jingsheng delivers award speech:
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609speech-4.jpg
3. Mr. Wei Jingsheng receives enthusiastic applauses:
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609applauses-4.jpg
4. The hosts and lecturers:
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609greetings-5.jpg
5. Responding to these who sacrifice themselves for the others in Wei's speech, the nun said: "Jesus Christ is such a person."
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609WJS-5.jpg
6. Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong with WEI Jingsheng and HUANG Ciping:
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/ZenZK0609Siena-4.jpg
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is a message from WeiJingSheng.org
The Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition is dedicated to the promotion of human rights and democratization in China. We appreciate your assistance and help in any means. We pledge solidarity to all who struggle for human rights and democratic governance on this planet.
You are welcome to use or distribute this release. However, please credit with this foundation and its website at: www.weijingsheng.org
Although we are unable to afford to pay royalty fees at this time, we are seeking your contribution as well. You may send your articles, comments and opinions to: HCP@weijingsheng.org. Please remember, only in text files, not in attachments.
You may contact Ciping Huang at: HCP@Weijingsheng.org or
Wei Jingsheng Foundation office at: 1-202-543-1538 Fax: 1-202-543-1539
You are receiving this message because you had previous shown your interest in learning more about Mr. Wei Jingsheng and the Chinese Democratic Movement. To be removed from the list, simply reply this message and use "unsubscribe" as the Subject. Please allow us a few days to process your request.
*****************************************************************
中文版
Wei Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue Number: A230-W120
魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A230-W120
Release Date: September 23, 2006
发布日：2006年9月23日
Topic: Wei Jingsheng Receives "Stefano Bellaveglia Award" by Fondazione Liberal in Siena University, Siena, Italy
标题：魏京生在意大利的锡耶那大学接受自由基金会颁奖
Original Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)
此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
如有中文乱码问题，请访问:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2006/report2006-09/Siena060923WJSawardA230-W120.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
魏京生在意大利的锡耶那大学接受自由基金会颁奖
2006年9月22日与23日，魏京生先生在意大利的锡耶那大学参加国际性“中国与自由”研讨会，并接受主办单位自由基金会的首次“斯蒂法诺贝拉瓦格利亚奖”。 “斯蒂法诺贝拉瓦格利亚奖”的设立是对几个月前才去世的斯蒂法诺贝拉瓦格利亚先生的纪念。斯蒂法诺贝拉瓦格利亚先生是一位关心自由与人权的国际活动家。
锡耶那区付主教Antonio Buoneristiani,锡耶那市市长Maurizio Cenni及多位国际名流参加主持了这个以“世界强权对人权：西方世界可以做什么？”为专题的研讨会。来自香港的陈日君大主教也到临并接受“锡耶那自由奖”。
活动进行前后，魏京生先生接受了多个电台、电视台、报纸杂志，如意大利国家电视二台等的采访，将意大利对中国人权及欧盟对中国武器禁运问题的关注推到了高潮。
以下是作为压轴戏的、使听众们非常感动并鼓掌多时的魏京生先生的谢词。
__ __ __
尊敬的朋友们。感谢大家给与我这项崇高的荣誉。借着这个机会，我给大家讲几个小故事。这几个小故事对我很有启发，提醒我什么是自由，以及自由的代价。
大家都在谈论自由。哲学家在谈，文学家在谈，也有不少政治家在玩弄这个字眼。但自由到底对我们有什么价值呢？我们为什么要为自由付出那么大的代价呢？我相信很多朋友和我一样，常常会问自己这样的问题。
记得还是在监狱里的时候。有一个曾经是政府官员的犯人，向我问到了这个问题。他说他在当官的时候没有注意到自由是这么珍贵。那时候他很有权势，当然，按照中国官场贪污腐败的习惯，他也非常有钱。经过他的手剥夺了不少人的自由。有一些是随随便便就剥夺了，他不觉得这有什么重要的。甚至在他自己的自由即将被剥夺的时候，他仍然不觉得这有什么重要的。所以他替别人顶替了罪名，替其他的贪官或者多坐了几年监狱。听着别人的赞扬，他很舒服。
他知道有人替他疏通好了监狱里的关系。普通犯人所受的虐待，他不必受。普通犯人所受的刑罚，他也不必受。普通犯人没有的优待，他可以享受。包括监狱制度规定以外的享受。但他仍然觉得很难受，是一种找不出原因的难受。不仅仅心情难受，身体也不如过去健康了。总觉得身体和生活中少了某种东西。
我提醒他，可能是少了自由。自由是人天生就带来的，就像我们呼吸的空气一样，是自然而然就有的。所以人们不会注意它。只有当人们失去它的时候，觉得难受的时候，才能体会到它是最宝贵的东西。
又过了一段时间，他又来问我：你被关在小号里，自由比我们还要少。你为什么看上去不像是那么难受呢？好像每天都高高兴兴的。我说我失去了自由和你一样难受。但是我一想起我虽然失去了自由，十亿中国人会因此多一点点自由。这种幸福感就抵消了我的难受。他说他还是不能理解，因为别人的自由并不能补偿你失去的自由。你仍然是不自由的。
我想了想，给他讲了一个我和警察的故事。有一个老警察，看见我在小黑牢房里，除了看书就是在五步长的房间里散步。散步时一边思考问题，一边还面带笑容，看上去挺轻松的。他觉得很奇怪，就问我：你为别人争取自由，但你现在没有自由，难道不自由还有什么值得高兴的吗？我顺口答了一句：我不觉得我不自由。你说说咱们俩人谁更自由呢？他一听就笑了：我看监狱你蹲监狱，当然是我比你更自由呀。
我说不见得。他听了笑起来了，让我说说为什么。我问他：我虽然被关在监狱里，但是我想说什么就敢说什么，你敢吗？他愣在那儿一直没回答。我当时突然悟到了一个道理：人的自由首先是内心的自由。身体的不自由可以是别人强加给你的，心灵的自由是别人无法剥夺的。但是性格的懦弱，常常使我们自己剥夺了自己心灵的自由。自己把自己关进了心灵的监狱。
特别是在暴政的环境下，或者有巨大利益的引诱。人们常常会自己压制自己的良心，去适应暴政或者适应利益的需要。去做违心的事情，甚至帮助暴政去剥夺无数人的自由。同时，有另外一些人，为了自己和大众的自由，去向暴政抗争。于是，自由就成了政治。剥夺自由和争取自由就成了政治的主旋律。有成千上万的人，为了自己和他人的自由，被暴政夺去了生命，或者失去了自由。监狱里多了一类新的犯人，叫做政治犯。政治犯是暴政和腐败政治的副产品。
什么是政治犯？我听到过许多定义。我总觉得不太准确。我在监狱里碰到过这样一个犯人。他是从山沟里出来的，不认识字，犯了一种很不名誉的罪行。被派来看管政治犯。有一次他受了委屈，来找我抱怨，顺口说了一句：我们不像你们政治犯，连警察都尊敬你们。我挺奇怪就问他：你懂什么叫政治犯？你给我说说什么叫政治犯。他说：当然懂了。我们这些刑事犯是为了自己的利益伤害了别人；你们政治犯是为了别人的利益伤害了自己。
这是我听见过的最简单也最准确的定义。几千年来，人类能抵抗邪恶势力和暴政，就是因为有一批这样的人，他们为了别人的自由和利益，宁肯牺牲自己。在暴政下，这些圣人圣徒为了别人的自由而牺牲，或者成为政治犯。在自由的制度下，他们不会成为政治犯了，但仍然会牺牲自己的利益，仅仅是为了别人。
没有这样一批人，我们的自由会比现在少。有了这一批人，这个世界上的暴政和苦难就会比现在少。在座的朋友们都是为了增加人类的自由，减少人类的苦难而付出了或多或少的代价。我谢谢大家。我将和大家一起努力，永不停息。
-- 魏京生 2006年9月23日
__ __ __
部分相关网站连接：
自由基金会：www.liberalfondazione.it
意大利亚洲新闻：www.asianews.it
意大利国家电视二台：www.rai.it
意大利Tempi周刊：www.tempi.it
有关活动照片：
1. 魏京生先生接受“斯蒂法诺贝拉瓦格利亚奖”：
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609award-c-3.jpg
2. 魏京生先生致谢词：
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609speech-4.jpg
3. 魏京生先生受到听众的热烈鼓掌：
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609applauses-4.jpg
4. 主办人及主讲人欢迎并感谢魏京生先生：
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609greetings-5.jpg
5. 天主教修女针对魏京生先生讲演中提到那些为社会大众作牺牲的人说：“耶稣基督就是这样一个人”：
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/WeiJS0609WJS-5.jpg
6. 香港陈日君主教与魏京生、黄慈萍合影：
http://weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2006/newsletters2006-6/ZenZK0609Siena-4.jpg
（魏京生基金会首发。请注明。www.weijingsheng.org）
-----------------------------------------------------------------
魏京生基金会及中国民主运动海外联席会议以推动中国的人权与民主为己任。
我们欢迎任何形式的帮助与贡献。我们愿与世界上为人权与民主而奋斗的人们一起努力。
我们希望您能够帮助我们散发我们的资料。但请标明出处与我们的网址：www.weijingsheng.org
欢迎投稿（暂无稿费）或批评建议，请寄信箱: HCP@WEIJINGSHENG.ORG
魏京生办公室地址: 415 East Capitol Street, SE, Suite 2, Washington, DC 20003-3810，U.S.A.
电话: 1-202-543-1538 传真：1-202-543-1539
魏京生基金会网址：WWW.weijingsheng.org
中国民主运动海外联席会议及中国团结工会的网址为：www.ChinaLaborUnion.org
阁下之所以收到本信，是因为阁下以前曾表示有兴趣了解魏京生先生和中国民主运动。倘若阁下希望不再收到类似信息，请回复本信并用 unsubscribe作为主题(Subject)。