2019 Democracy Award Recipient: Tibet Action Institute
Founded in 2009, the Tibet Action Institute brings together digital communication tools with strategic nonviolent action to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of the Tibet movement in a digital era. Tibet Action's team, comprised of technologists and human rights advocates, develops and advances open-source communication technologies, nonviolent strategies, and innovative training programs for Tibetans with a particular focus on digital security and harnessing the power of digital technologies.
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Lhadon Tethong
Lhadon Tethong is co-founder and director of the Tibet Action Institute, where she leads a team of technologists and human rights advocates in developing and advancing open-source communication technologies, nonviolent strategies, and innovative training programs for Tibetans and other groups facing heavy repression. A visionary strategist, she has spent two decades building a powerful nonviolent movement for Tibet’s freedom and driving innovative economic and political campaigns to counter China’s rule in Tibet. She previously served as Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet from 2002-2009, where she led the high-profile global campaign to condemn China’s rule of Tibet in the lead-up to and during the 2008 Olympic Games. Tethong made international headlines as she posted real-time accounts of her travels through Beijing on her blog BeijingWideOpen.org – one of the first in the Tibetan world – before being detained and deported. Lhadon was awarded the first-ever James Lawson Award for Nonviolent Achievement by the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict in 2011 and currently serves as Co-Chair of the International Tibet Network, the global coalition of Tibet-related non-governmental organizations.
Read Lhadon's acceptance remarks from the 2019 Democracy Award.2019 Democracy Award Recipients
ChinaAid
ChinaAid is an international non-profit Christian human rights organization committed to promoting religious freedom and the rule of law in China.
Tibet Action Institute
The Tibet Action Institute brings together digital communication tools with strategic nonviolent action to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of the Tibet movement in a digital era.
World Uyghur Congress
The World Uyghur Congress promotes democracy, human rights, and freedom for the Uyghur people and supports the use of peaceful, nonviolent, and democratic means to help Uyghurs achieve self-determination.