Events >> The Democracy Award
Goddess of Democracy:
Symbol of Democracy Around the Globe

Goddess of Democracy The NED's Democracy Award is a small-scale replica of the Goddess of Democracy that was constructed in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China during the student movement for freedom and democracy in 1989. The original statue was created by art students from the Central Academy of Art in Beijing and by democracy demonstrators; it was unveiled in Tiananmen Square on May 30, 1989. During the government crackdown on June 4, the statue was destroyed by a tank-an unforgettable moment that was witnessed throughout the world.

San Francisco sculptor Thomas Marsh led a project to re-create a 10-foot bronze replica of the original Goddess of Democracy with the help of some Chinese students beginning in 1989. The bronze replica was unveiled in 1994 by Chinese dissidents and Representative Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco. Later, Marsh created smaller replicas of the statue to recognize those around the world who have made contributions to the movement for democracy.

In 1991 the National Endowment for Democracy began presenting the symbolic statuette as its annual 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.

Recipients

2007

    Hisham Kassem, Egypt
    Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS), Venezuela
    Kavi Chongkittavorn, Thailand
    Anna Politkovskaya, Russia

2006

    Zainab Bangura, Sierra Leone
    Alfred Taban, Sudan
    Immaculée 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

    Monica Jimenez de Barros, Chile
    Jacek Kuron, Poland

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