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Acceptance Remarks by Li Heping
Today, I stand in a stronghold of Freedom and I am excited and inspired.
I want to thank all of those men and women concerned about human rights in China and around the globe. It is your hardwork that makes the world a better place.
God created humanity and every person has rights to four inalienable freedoms as mentioned by President Roosevelt:
- Freedom from fear,
- Freedom of speech and expression
- Freedom of religion,
- Freedom from want
Because humanity has limited tolerance of others, in many places around the world, to different degrees, these freedoms and the right of citizens to be their own masters is not guaranteed.
However, Chinese and Americans are working together tirelessly to improve human rights in the world. Americans have won respect of peoples from many different countries because of their outstanding contributions to human rights.
Between now and the time NED began to make the Democracy Award, 10 Chinese people have received this award and awareness of human rights has gradually increased. To have so many Chinese citizens receive this award makes it clear that China’s democracy is still not perfect and it needs the efforts and resources of more Chinese citizens as well as support from the international community to improve it.
Honorable ladies and gentlemen, if you consider commendable my normal professional labors and honor my efforts in the name of freedom, then I am filled with awe and am thankful beyond measure.
But all the glory belongs to god.
李和平：让法治的旗帜在全世界飘扬
尊敬的主席先生，女士们，先生们：
今天我站在美利坚自由的土地上，站在高扬自由旗帜的领奖台上，我心激荡飞扬；我要对所有关心人权事业，关心中国的人权事业的可敬的先生们，女士们献上感谢，是您们的辛勤付出，世界才如此美好。
人类受上帝所造，自由而有尊严，无论他身在何处，都有免于匮乏，免于恐惧，自由言论，自由信仰，平等追求幸福的权利。人因局限和愚妄，在世界很多地方，人做为主人的权利不同程度地缺少保障。中国人民和美国人民一道，正在为全世界的人权事业的进步作不懈的努力，美国人民因对世界人权事业的卓越贡献，赢得了世界人民的普遍敬重。中国人民自美国NED的民主奖设立以来，有十人已经或正在获取这一奖项，人权意识逐步深入人心。
中国出现多位民主奖得主，说明中国的民主还很不完美，需要更多国人的努力和付出，需要国际社会的鼓励和敦促，中国正在转型，我期望中国好运，期望法治的旗帜高扬在地球的每一寸土地上。
我的一些平凡的本职努力，在可敬的先生、女士们的眼中被看为可贵，把我推举到我景仰至极的仁人志士的行列中，以自由的名义对我嘉奖，我本人诚惶诚恐，深感不配，荣耀归于上帝。
愿上帝保佑地球上所有的人。
Reflections on Receiving the Award
Teng Biao
The National Endowment for Democracy has, in the past, given this Democracy Award to Mr. Havel; and it is not a coincidience that his philosophy and actions have inspired countless rights defenders and intellectuals in China.
The fates of people are interconnected, the violation of freedom and dignity to one individual is a violation to all. Freedom and democracy is the profession of all mankind.
Yet, this reasoning as been called an empty "fantasy," and gradually abandoned or mocked. The stories of persecution against people who have faced these challenges are unknown to the outside world, and many around them cannot understand their choice to struggle for freedom.
Life must continue for those people living under authoritarian regimes, whether they are given praise or not. Where I am from, even to protect basic dignities, to obey the call of conscience inside one's heart, requires tremendous effort and sacrifice.
For example, in March of this year, when I was abducted by secret police, they covered my head, stuffed me into a car, brought me to a secret interrogation room, took out an already printed version of my article, and threatened: "just based on these articles, we can imprison you for five or ten years." They confiscated my passport, cancelled my lawyer's license, and again and again told me to keep my mouth shut.
In several prisons in Guizhou, Jiangxi, Hebei, and Guangdong, I have had conversations with several prisoners wrongfully sentenced to death because of confessions extracted through torture. They all believe that one day they will be proven innocent and given freedom.
I too have hope and believe that greater freedom will come to China one day, but not because time will bring change. Rather, it will be earned by the hard work of citizens.
My thanks to the National Endowment for Democracy; you stand on the side of democracy and the people, not out of a cost-benefit analysis, but out of a commitment to shoulder a common responsibility toward humanity.
While the fight for freedom itself enriches our spirit and makes us happy, because of the existence of NED and other international supporters’ voices that firmly guard universal values, those alienated, forgotten, and imprisoned people shall feel some joy and comfort.
I know that if Chen Guangcheng could communicate from his prison cell he would join me in thanking all of you for standing with us in our struggle.
Xiao Qiang
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