Wei Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue: A919-W599

魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A919-W599

Release Date: February 17, 2016

发布日：2016年2月17日

Topic: Wei Jingsheng Foundation Presents the "Human Rights & Freedom Defender Prize" to Nancy Pelosi, etc. (Voice of America, Mandarin Service)

标题：魏京生基金会向佩洛西颁发"人权自由卫士奖"（美国之音中文报道）

Original Language Version: Chinese (Chinese version at the end)

此号以中文为准（英文在前，中文在后）

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Wei Jingsheng Foundation Presents the "Human Rights & Freedom Defender Prize" to Nancy Pelosi, etc.

-- By Mo Yu and Chang Xiao, Voice of America

February 12, 2016

Washington DC -- On the afternoon of Feb 11th, the Wei Jingsheng Foundation presented the "Human Rights & Freedom Defender Prize" to two Americans who have been devoting themselves to Human Rights improvement in China for many years. One of the two award recipients was the US House Democrat Leader, Nancy Pelosi. The other award recipient was the founder of the NGO Human Rights Watch, Robert Bernstein. Held at the Rayburn House Office Building of the US Congress, the ceremony included the second "Human Rights Without Borders" exhibition.

Wei Jingsheng, the founder of the Wei Jingsheng Foundation, presented the trophies and acknowledged the recipients' decades-long devotion and effort to improve human rights and freedom all over the world, including China.

After Nancy Pelosi received her trophy, she said this prize is very important to her, not only because of the significance of this prize, but also because she received this trophy from Wei Jingsheng himself.

She said, "For decades now, he has been a hero to me. His courage, his values, his dream and his perspective have encouraged us to keep being devoted to improve human rights in China, Tibet and the whole world."

In her speech, Pelosi said that we all should stand up as freedom defenders when the Tibetans were punished because of their culture and religious beliefs, including displaying the photos of his Holiness the Dalai Lama, or when Chinese citizens and lawyers were unjustifyly detained.

She also said that freedom of expression is a prerequisite to all other forms of freedoms, and censorship is a cowardly act.

Wei Jingsheng said he wished to express his gratitude to many foreigners who had devoted themselves for decades and contributed hugely to Chinese democratic causes with the establishment of this prize.

He said, "I have received countless awards from people of many other countries, and I kept thinking that we should also thank those people who supported us, and to encourage them. So many people have worked hard to help us, and they also made a lot of sacrifice for us."

In November 2015, Nancy Pelosi led a delegation of the Representatives of the House to visit Tibet, Beijing, and Hong Kong. They discussed issues include human rights and religious freedom with the Chinese government officials.

Pelosi also said in her speech that the US Congress would always pay close attention to Chinese human rights. "We will never forget those who are at risk because of the promotion of freedom, and those people behind the bars. We have a list of them and we want them to know that we will always be the defenders of their cause."

Several representatives from the US Congress also participated in the award ceremony and made speeches, including Congresswoman Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and Congressman James McGovern, Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, the Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile presented the traditional Khata to Pelosi in the award ceremony. He said just like Wei Jingsheng, Pelosi is also a fearless defender of human rights and freedom; especially, she has made a lot of effort for the freedom of Tibet.

Wei Jingsheng said the establishment of the "Human Rights and Freedom Defender Prize" is also an encouragement for Chinese people to make more effort for their own freedom and democracy.

He said, "In the past, many people lost hope for China's democracy because they felt that the Communist Party is ruling China stablely. But I want to tell everyone that we need to be patient and keep working hard. It is never easy to get something good. The Chinese people must make more effort, then we will get freedom and democracy."

Others who participated and spoke during the event included Matteo Mecacci, President of the International Campaign for Tibet; Carl Gershman, President of the National Endowment for Democracy; Antoine Ripoll, head of the European Parliament Liaison Office with the US Congress; and Sarah Cook, Senior Research Analyst for East Asia, Freedom House; etc.

Link of the original report:

http://www.voachinese.com/content/human-rights-freedom-defender-award-20160212/3187868.html