By Charlotte Vreden
Every year the Four Freedoms awards are given to inspiring people and organisations from across the globe. The laureates have demonstrated their bravery and commitment to the principles proclaimed by Franklin Roosevelt in his Four Freedoms speech. They will be awarded this year in Middelburg on the 21st of April. For Franklin Roosevelt, freedom of speech, worship, freedom from want, and fear are the vital pillars of democracy.
The awards are given every year to signify that we must continue to fight for the people’s freedom. In this article, I’ll introduce you to the people who have dedicated their lives to do so. Even though the laureates seem to be very different, they are united through their purpose.
The International Four Freedoms Award: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is a campaigner for political and civil freedom in Belarus and leader of the Belarusian opposition, a peaceful resistance against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s oppressive regime. For years, the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly have been severely restricted by the “last dictator of Europe”, as the autocratic president refers to himself. In Belarus, acts of torture, other ill-treatment, abuse of the judicial system, violations of children’s rights, death sentences, gender-based violence and executions have been committed by Belarusian authorities.[1] Tsikhanouskaya entered the race in the presidential election in 2020 after her husband was arrested for expressing his intentions to run for president. Lukashenka publicly dismissed Tsikhanouskaya as a “housewife” who would not be competent to run based on her gender. However, Tsikhanouskaya successfully led the democratic coalition and is widely recognised as the presidential election winner in 2020. However, she had to exile to Lithuania, fearing the repercussions of her campaign. Tsikhanouskaya inspired at least 200,000 to unite for peaceful protesting and advocated the release of more than 900 political prisoners and the fight against Lukashenka through free and fair elections.[2]
Freedom of Speech: Mai Khoi Do Nguyen
“The first is freedom of speech and expression — everywhere in the world.“
Described as the “Lady Gaga of Vietnam” by Pussy Riot, Mai Khoi began as a renowned pop star before she spoke out on her criticism of the Vietnamese government’s censorship and lack of democracy. Moreover, she criticised big tech corporations such as Google and Facebook for their support in helping the Vietnamese government implement their controversial cybersecurity bill. This bill requires internet companies to remove “toxic” content and send user data to the communist government when asked to do so.[3] So-called “toxic” content includes political dissidents, questioning acts of corruption by the communist party leaders, legitimacy of the communist party, Sino-Vietnamese relations, and human rights concerns.[4] Mai Khoi highlights the significance of freedom of expression, social justice and human rights issues through her music and other art forms. Themes stressed in her music are gender equality, the LGBTI+ community, gender-based violence, freedom of speech and environmental issues.[5] Take a look at one of her songs (I am yours now), an emotional eruption of repressed humanity through the sounds of Mai Khoi’s mesmerising composition:
Em thanh cua anh roi (I’m yours now)
You’ve taken my sky
My land is for you to sit on
My ocean yours to pollute
Heaven, I’ve become yours
A red seal through hands
I’ve become yours
Not a drop of blood spilled
No need for shame
No need for valor
No need to know anything
Just need to ignore
No torment
No suspicion
No need to be anxious
Just need to be apathetic
Freedom of Worship: Lian Gogali
“The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way — everywhere in the world.”
Lian Gogali is the founder of the Institute Mosintuwu, inspired by various stories of women who insisted on peace amid conflict and interreligious violence in her home community- Poso, Central Sulawesi. The institute, on her veranda, is a school for female victims of the Poso conflict, who come together to learn the importance of creating and maintaining peace.[6] Once educated, the women, regardless of their religious affiliation, continue to pursue an active role in their village and society, signifying how each individual can positively influence the lives of their people.[7] The Poso region has since the late 90s become a ground for communal violence, unleashed by underlying economic, ethnic and religious tensions, which have been intensified through the actions of political rivals.[8]
Freedom From Want: Nice Nailantei Leng’ete
“The third is freedom from want — which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants – everywhere in the world.“
Nice Nailantei Leng’ete is committed to the abolition of female circumcision and fights for accessibility of health care and education for all girls in Kenya. By providing education and strengthening young girls’ confidence, she has saved numerous girls from circumcision and child marriage. In addition, Leng’ete breaks taboos to engender the urgent shift in culture, behaviour, and beliefs, bringing change among her local communities- despite additional struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
Freedom from Fear: ÜniKuir
“The fourth is freedom from fear — which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor — anywhere in the world.”
ÜniKuir is a relatively young non-governmental LGBTI+ organisation, fighting for the fundamental rights of all people to live without fear, discrimination, and persecution regardless of their gender identity, characteristics, and sexual orientation. In Turkey, LGTBI+ people are discriminated against in every aspect of their lives, criminalised, and forbidden to express themselves freely. [10] Besides, the LGBTI+ community receives extreme hate speech, ignited and extended by Turkish authorities, from hateful minister tweets and the censorship of gay characters in TV shows to the boycott of LGBT-friendly brands.[11] ÜniKuir promotes equal access to education and treatment, freedom of assembly and speech and the prevention of discrimination through advocacy campaigns. These campaigns support members of the LGBTI+ community to get proper healthcare and psychological assistance. At the same time, they give legal support and organise forums and workshops.[12]
Footnotes
[1] Amnesty International, ‘Amnesty International Report 2021/22’; United Nations, ‘Belarus’.
[2] 2022 Roosevelt Foundation, ‘Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya – Laureaat International Four Freedoms Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’.
[3] AFP, ‘Vietnam Dissident Khoi Urges Facebook to Protect Freedom of Expression’.
[4] Freedom House, ‘Vietnam’.
[5] 2022 Roosevelt Foundation, ‘Mai Khoi Do Nguyen – Laureaat Freedom of Speech Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’.
[6] Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, ‘Lian Gogali’.
[7] 2022 Roosevelt Foundation, ‘Lian Gogali – Laureaat Freedom of Worship Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’.
[8] Human Rights Watch, ‘Breakdown’.
[9] 2022 Roosevelt Foundation, ‘Nice Nailantei Leng’ete – Laureaat Freedom from Want Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’.
[10] 2022 Roosevelt Foundation, ‘ÜniKuir – Laureate Freedom from Fear Award 2022 – Laureates since 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’.
[11] ‘Targeted by Erdogan, Turkey’s LGBT Community Face “Tsunami of Hate”’.
[12] 2022 Roosevelt Foundation, ‘ÜniKuir – Laureate Freedom from Fear Award 2022 – Laureates since 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’.
Sources
2022 Roosevelt Foundation. ‘Lian Gogali – Laureaat Freedom of Worship Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’. Roosevelt Four Freedoms, 2022. https://www.fourfreedoms.nl/nl/awards/laureaten-1/year:2022/award:freedom-of-worship-award/laureates:lian-gogali.htm.
———. ‘Mai Khoi Do Nguyen – Laureaat Freedom of Speech Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’. Roosevelt Four Freedoms, 2022. https://www.fourfreedoms.nl/nl/awards/laureaten-1/year:2022/award:freedom-of-speech-award/laureates:mai-khoi-do-nguyen.htm.
———. ‘Nice Nailantei Leng’ete – Laureaat Freedom from Want Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’. Roosevelt Four Freedoms, 2022. https://www.fourfreedoms.nl/nl/awards/laureaten-1/year:2022/award:freedom-from-want-award/laureates:nice-nailantei-lengete.htm.
———. ‘Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya – Laureaat International Four Freedoms Award 2022 – Laureaten sinds 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’. Roosevelt Four Freedoms, 2022. https://www.fourfreedoms.nl/nl/awards/laureaten-1/year:2022/award:international-four-freedoms-award/laureates:sviatlana-tsikhanouskaya.htm.
———. ‘ÜniKuir – Laureate Freedom from Fear Award 2022 – Laureates since 1982 – Four Freedoms Awards’. Roosevelt Four Freedoms, 2022. https://www.fourfreedoms.nl/en/awards/laureaten-1/year:2022/award:freedom-from-fear-award/laureates:nikuir.htm.
AFP. ‘Vietnam Dissident Khoi Urges Facebook to Protect Freedom of Expression’. Free Malaysia Today (FMT) (blog), 20 October 2018. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2018/10/20/vietnam-dissident-khoi-urges-facebook-to-protect-freedom-of-expression/.
Amnesty International. ‘Amnesty International Report 2021/22’, 2022, 89.
Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. ‘Lian Gogali’. Accessed 2 April 2022. https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/people/lian-gogali.
Freedom House. ‘Vietnam: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report’. Freedom House. Accessed 2 April 2022. https://freedomhouse.org/country/vietnam/freedom-world/2021.
Human Rights Watch. ‘Breakdown: Four Years of Communal Violence in Central Sulawesi – Indonesia’. ReliefWeb, 4 December 2002. https://reliefweb.int/report/indonesia/breakdown-four-years-communal-violence-central-sulawesi.
France 24. ‘Targeted by Erdogan, Turkey’s LGBT Community Face “Tsunami of Hate”’, 23 February 2021. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210223-targeted-by-erdogan-turkey-s-lgbt-community-face-tsunami-of-hate.
United Nations. ‘Belarus: UN Report Reveals Extent of Violations in Human Rights Crackdown’. UN News, 9 March 2022. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1113582.
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Freedoms
