Freedom Award
Encyclopedia
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."
The IRC was founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein
, and made its first Freedom Award in 1957, to German politician Willy Brandt
, who went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. 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". The first joint recipients of the award were Lane Kirkland
and his wife Irena who won the prize in 1981. Lane was honored for his "long devotion to the cause of refugees" while Irena was described as "very much a human rights activist". Chinese dissidents Li Shuxian
and Fang Lizhi
were jointly honored in 1991; 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.
Since the first award presentation in 1957, the IRC has made it to 45 recipients, 23 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
. The most recent recipient of the award is former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan
. The Ghanaian received the award in November 2008 at the 75th anniversary dinner of the IRC. The 2010 award ceremony is scheduled to take place in New York City, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
in November.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee is a leading nonsectarian, nongovernmental international relief and development organization based in the United States, with operations in over 40 countries...
(IRC) bestows its Freedom Award for extraordinary contributions to the cause of refugees and human freedom
Freedom (political)
Political freedom is a central philosophy in Western history and political thought, and one of the most important features of democratic societies...
. 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."
The IRC was founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, and made its first Freedom Award in 1957, to German politician Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
, who went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The following year, the award was presented to Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, British Prime Minister during the Second World War, for his "dedicated and devoted service to the cause of human liberty". The first joint recipients of the award were Lane Kirkland
Lane Kirkland
Joseph Lane Kirkland was a US labor union leader who served as President of the AFL-CIO for over sixteen years.-Biography:...
and his wife Irena who won the prize in 1981. Lane was honored for his "long devotion to the cause of refugees" while Irena was described as "very much a human rights activist". Chinese dissidents Li Shuxian
Li Shuxian
Li Shuxian aka Li Shu-Hsien was the fifth and last wife of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty in China....
and Fang Lizhi
Fang Lizhi
Fang Lizhi is a professor of astrophysics and former vice-president of the University of Science and Technology of China whose liberal ideas inspired the pro-democracy student movement of 1986-87 and, finally, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989...
were jointly honored in 1991; two American Presidents, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
took the prize as a pair in 2005, and film actress Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
High Commissioner António Guterres
António Guterres
António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, GCC is a Portuguese politician, a former prime minister and President of the Socialist International. Currently he is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.-Early life:...
received the award together in 2007.
Since the first award presentation in 1957, the IRC has made it to 45 recipients, 23 of which were American; the majority of awards have been to politicians. The 1995 presentation was made in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
to Burmese pro-democracy campaigner and leader of the opposition National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
(NLD) party, Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
. The most recent recipient of the award is former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
. The Ghanaian received the award in November 2008 at the 75th anniversary dinner of the IRC. The 2010 award ceremony is scheduled to take place in New York City, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...
in November.
Recipients
| Year | Image | Recipient | Nationality | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 |  |
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| 1958 | ||||
| 1959 |  |
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| 1960 |  |
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| 1969 |  |
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| 1970 |  |
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| 1975 | ||||
| 1976 | — | |||
| 1977 |  |
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| 1978 | — | |||
| 1979 | — | [A] | ||
| 1981 |  |
Irena Kirkland | ||
| 1987 |  |
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| 1987 | — | |||
| 1989 | |
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| 1989 | ||||
| 1990 |  |
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| 1991 | — | Li Shuxian Li Shuxian Li Shuxian aka Li Shu-Hsien was the fifth and last wife of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty in China.... |
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| 1991 |  |
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| 1992 |  |
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| 1993 | [B] | |||
| 1993 | — | [C] | ||
| 1994 | — | [B] | ||
| 1994 | — | [C] | ||
| 1995 |  |
[D] | ||
| 1995 |  |
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| 1995 |  |
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| 1997 | — | |||
| 1999 |  |
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| 2001 |  |
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| 2002 | — | |||
| 2002 |  |
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| 2003 |  |
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| 2004 |  |
[B] | ||
| 2005 |   |
Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... |
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| 2006 | ||||
| 2007 |  |
Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the... |
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| 2008 |  |
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| 2011 |