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National Democratic Institute 2030 M Street, NW, Fifth Floor Washington DC 20036 Tel: 202.728.5500 Fax: 202.728.5520 www.ndi.org |
November 22, 2004
Jean Freedberg (202) 728-5527
Mariah Sieber (202) 728-5528
[email protected]
NDI TO HONOR WORLD LEADERS WHO PERSONIFY TWO DECADES OF
DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
WASHINGTON DC—The National Democratic Institute (NDI) announced today that it will celebrate its 20th anniversary by paying tribute to an era of democratic transformation through the eyes of those from different regions of the world who experienced its struggles and successes. The Institute will present this year's annual W. Averell Harriman Democracy Awards to Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Richard G. Lugar and Ranking Member Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. for their efforts to forge a bipartisan consensus in the U.S. Congress on the promotion of democracy worldwide.
International recipients will include: President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal; President Xanana Gusmão of East Timor; Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania of Georgia; Former President Corazon Aquino of the Philippines; Minster José Miguel Insulza of Chile; Minister Amat Al-Aleem Alsoswa of Yemen; and former Foreign Minister of Poland, Bronislaw Geremek.
The awards will be presented on December 6 at a dinner at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.
"On our twentieth anniversary we are pleased to join in marking the growth of the worldwide democracy movement with the honor roll of individuals who have fought for freedom and stronger democratic institutions in regions across the globe," said NDI Chairman and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.
"NDI is proud to have worked alongside so many courageous political and civic leaders during a dramatic era of democratic transformation," said NDI President, Kenneth Wollack. "At the same time, we recognize that in many places, democrats are still struggling against tremendous odds to secure their fundamental political rights."
NDI's W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award is the Institute's highest honor, presented annually to individuals and organizations dedicated to democracy and human rights. Past recipients of the Award have included: Oswaldo Payá of the Varela Project in Cuba; the Organization of American States; Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations; the eight political party leaders who negotiated the Northern Ireland peace agreement; Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi; Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel; then-Vice President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa; former Argentine President Raul Alfonsin; Chile's 1988 Free Election Movement; former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale; Senator Edward Kennedy; former Senator George Mitchell; the late Lane Kirkland, president of the AFL-CIO; and Linda and the late Peter Biehl of the Amy Biehl Foundation in South Africa.
As in past years, the dinner will be attended by approximately 800 guests, including senior officials from the U.S. government, members of Congress, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the press and members of the labor, business and foreign policy communities.
NDI is a nonprofit organization working to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide. Calling on a global network of volunteer experts, NDI provides practical assistance to civic and political leaders advancing democratic values, practices and institutions. NDI works with democrats in every region of the world to build political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and to promote citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.
For more information visit our website at www.ndi.org.
NOTE: MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA ARE INVITED TO COVER THIS EVENT.
WHERE: Omni Shoreham Hotel, Regency Ballroom
WHEN: Monday December 6, 2004
TIME: Program starts at 7:30 p.m. (camera set-up by 7:00p.m. please)
Press please call (202) 728-5527 to RSVP.