Events

Events >> Democracy Service Medal >> 2003 Democracy Service Medal

Roundtable Discussion on Africa's Democracy Agenda

On March 25 at a reception held in the Treaty Room of the US Department of State, NED honored President Bolaños for his courageous battle against corruption in Nicaragua. The program included remarks by Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage who commented that Bolaños is "a man with tremendous conviction and courage who not only took a stand against corruption, he also took the steps to prove to his people that no one - no one - is above the law. He showed them that he knows the truth. The truth is that democracy will only work if everyone is held to the same standards of accountability, no matter how rich or powerful and regardless of the bonds of affinity and friendship."

Africa's Democracy Agenda was the topic of a March 12 panel discussion honoring Congressman Donald Payne (center). Professor Richard Joseph (left), currently a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at NED made one of the presentations. The panel was chaired by California Congressman Ed Royce (right).

NED Chairman Vin Weber presented the medal to Bolaños and said, "President Bolaños has kept his promise to the Nicaraguan people and has taken the most far-reaching steps in the history of the country to end the corruption and abuse of power that have prevented Nicaragua from fulfilling its potential as an independent and democratic country.he has displayed both personal courage and firm democratic conviction, offering a model of presidential leadership that is truly admirable."

In his acceptance remarks, Bolaños proclaimed, "There is only one right time for the president of a democratic nation to fight corruption, and that is: always!"

On March 12, NED hosted a two-part tribute to Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) who has served on NED's Board of Directors for 9 years and who has been a champion for human rights and democracy on the African continent and world-wide throughout his many years of congressional service.

Preceding the Medal presentation, NED organized a panel discussion in honor of Congressman Payne titled Africa's Democracy Agenda. The discussion, which was chaired by Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) featured presentations by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Walter Kansteiner, and Dr. Richard Joseph, currently an NED Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow, and director of African Studies at Northwestern University. They were joined by a distinguished panel of Africa experts who offered both commentary on the current challenges to democracy on the continent and praise for Congressman Payne's support of democratic progress in Africa.

NED President Carl Gershman (left) and NED Vice-Chairman Thomas R. Donahue (right) presented the Democracy Service Medal to retiring NED Board Member Donald Payne at a March 12 ceremony.

Following the discussion, the NED Medal was presented to Congressman Payne at a Capitol Hill reception. Thomas J. Donahue, NED's Vice-Chairman, paid tribute to Payne noting, "From the successful struggle to achieve democracy in South Africa, to the protracted efforts to remove the dictators from Nigeria, to the ongoing attempts to heal the ravages of war in Congo, Liberia and Sudan, Don has played a significant role both on the Hill and at NED."

The reception also featured the remarks of many fellow members of Congress including, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), and Reps. Chris Cox (R-CA), Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Steve Rothman (D-NJ), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY). Chairman of the event's Host Committee, Noah Samara, Chairman and CEO of WorldSpace Corporation, also spoke at the event, which was a fundraiser for the work of the Africa Democracy Forum. Other major contributors to the event included Black Entertainment Television and Discovery Communications.

The Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Democracy created its Democracy Service Medal in 1999 to recognize individuals who have demonstrated, through personal commitment, their dedication to the advancement of freedom, human rights, and democracy.

Previous recipients are Lane Kirkland and Lech Walesa (1999), Martin Bétora and Alexandr Vondra (1999), John B. Hurford (2000), John Brademas, Fred Iklé, Richard Lugar and Stephen Solarz (2001), Paula Dobriansky (2002), Jan Nowak (2002), and Chen Wu, Sue-jen (2002).