The National Constitution Center is celebrating a decade as the administrator of the Liberty Medal, which is awarded annually to men and women of courage and conviction who have strived to secure the blessings of liberty to people the world over.
To mark this event and to honor the Medal’s most-recent recipient, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, we have a launched a new enhanced website section with information about the Medal’s history and meaning.
Link: View New Liberty Medal Website
The first medal was awarded in in 1989 to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, with Lech Walesa as the recipient. The National Constitution Center took over administering the Medal in 2006, when it was presented to former Presidents George H.W. Bush and William J. Clinton for their tsunami relief efforts.
Seven recipients of the medal have subsequently won the Nobel Peace Prize: Malala Yousafzai (2014), Kofi Annan (2001), Kim Dae-jung (1999), Nelson Mandela and F.W. deKlerk (1993), Oscar Arias Sanchez (1991) and Jimmy Carter (1990).
Other recipients include Nelson Mandela, Sandra Day O’Connor, Bono , Shimon Peres, and Colin Powell.
This year, the Center honored His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet in recognition of his advocacy for human rights worldwide.
We also would like to thank our Liberty Medal partner, Citizens Bank, for being our Chairman’s Sponsor since 2006.
To see images from the 2015 ceremony and gala, visit our photo gallery section.
