NED Democracy Award

"The Democracy Award is given annually by the National Endowment for Democracy's Board of Directors to recognize the courageous and creative work of individuals and organizations that has advanced the cause of human rights and democracy around the world." 

The 2009 "honorees are Jorge Luis Garcia Pérez, (aka “Antúnez”), José Daniel Ferrer García, Librado Linares García, Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, and Iris Tamara Perez Aguilera. All five are relatively young, in their 30s and 40s, three are Afro-Cuban, one is a Christian Democrat and another is a Social Democrat, one is a trade unionist and another is a women’s leader.

"The award presentation and reception will take place in the Caucus Room of the Cannon House Office Building from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, and will be preceded by a panel discussion examining the prospects for democracy in Cuba, which will begin at 3:30 pm in the same room.

"Toward a Free Cuba: the prospect for Democracy after 50 Years of Dictatorship is the topic, which will be discussed by panelists who include: José Azel, Senior Research Assoicate, Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, University of Miami; José Miguel Vivanco, Executive Director, Americas Division, Human Rights Watch; Janisset Rivero Gutierrez, Directorio Democratico Cubano; and Marifeli Pérez-Stable, vice president for democratic governance at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, DC and a professor of sociology at Miami’s Florida International University. The panel will be moderated by NED Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Miriam Kornblith."

Past Recipients
The recipients of the 2008 Democracy Award (received on June 17, 2008) were:
 * Zhang Jianhong
 * Yao Fuxin
 * Hu Shigen
 * Li Heping
 * Li Baiguang
 * Chen Guangcheng
 * Teng Biao

"The honorees will be joined in the discussion by other notable activists and advocates for basic rights in China, including Han Dongfang, - executive director of China Labour Bulletin, Bob Fu – founder of the China Aid Association and a student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen democracy movement, Sharon Hom – executive director of Human Rights in China, Xiao Qiang – founder and publisher of China Digital Times, Wang Tiancheng – a founder of the Liberal Democratic Party of China and the Free Labor Union of China, and Yang Jianli – a Chinese democracy activist recently released from prison, who now is president of Initiatives for China."

The four recipients of the 2007 Democracy Award (received on September 18, 2007) are:
 * Hisham Kassem
 * Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS) – Venezuela
 * Kavi Chongkittavorn
 * Anna Politkovskaya

2006
 * Zainab Bangura, Sierra Leone
 * Alfred Taban, Sudan
 * Immaculee Birhaheka, Democratic Republic of Congo
 * Reginald Matchaba-Hove, Zimbabwe

2005
 * Sakena Yacoobi, Mohammad Nasib, and Sarwar Hussaini, Afghanistan

2004
 * Ludmila Mikhailovna Alekseeva, Mara Fyodorovna Polyakova, Arseny Borisovich Roginsky, and Alexey Kirillovich Simonov, Russia

2003
 * An Hyuk, Kang Cheol-hwan, Soon Ok Lee, and Benjamin Yoon, North Korea

2002
 * Nadjet Bouda, Algeria
 * Mehrangiz Kar, Iran
 * Mariam Hussein Mohamed, Somalia
 * Muborak Tashpulatova, Uzbekistan

2001
 * President Vicente Fox Quesada, Mexico

2000
 * Natasa Kandic, Serbia
 * Veton Surroi, Kosovo

1999
 * Transition Monitoring Group, Nigeria

1998
 * Wei Jingsheng, China
 * Wang Dan, China

1997
 * Martin C. M. Lee, Hong Kong

1995
 * Sergio Aguayo Quezada, Mexico
 * Monique Mujawamariya, Rwanda
 * Elena Bonner, Russia
 * Sergei Kovalev, Russia

1993
 * Han Dongfang, China
 * Gitobu Imanyara, Kenya
 * Vesna Pesic, Serbia

1991
 * Violeta Chamorro, Nicaragua
 * Vaclav Havel, Czech & Slovak Federative Republic

1989 Source
 * Monica Jimenez de Barros, Chile
 * Jacek Kuron, Poland