President Clinton announced the creation of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights this week. The award will be presented this December, marking the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and each December henceforth.
The award honors the memory of Eleanor Roosevelt, who was the first Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the primary supporter of the declaration.
Distinguished Americans who have made remarkable contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights internationally will be honored with the award.
Four people were selected for this year’s award, including Robert Bernstein, a great believer in freedom of expression and the protection of rights at home and abroad; Bette Bao Lord, the head of Freedom House, a notable author and campaigner; Dorothy Thomas, a champion of women’s rights, the voice of a new generation committed to human rights; and John Lewis, a veteran in the civil rights struggle, and current member of Congress.
