“So my good friends, what was Tom’s goal? Mine and his were the same. Simply to say, we don’t talk about our own suffering, we talk about other people’s suffering. We don’t talk about what hurts us, we talk about what hurts the other. It is the otherness of the other that makes that other a human goal that needs protection.” – Elie Wiesel

The 2010 Tom Lantos Human Rights Prize was presented to Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel in a November ceremony held at The New School in New York City. Before Professor Wiesel delivered his keynote address, guests heard from New Mexico Governor and former United Nations Ambassador Bill Richardson and Pavel Khodorkovskiy, son of jailed Russian dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The program also included a performance of lullabies composed by musicians held captive in the Terezin concentration camp and a vocal performance by Charity Sunshine, Granddaughter of Tom & Annette.

In addition to supporters, human rights activists, and various American and foreign dignitaries, students from eight area high schools and universities were able to attend the ceremony and hear Professor Wiesel’s profound words of encouragement to those wanting to make a difference.

In a reception held before the prize presentation, the Board of Trustees honored five of their Founding Humanitarians in attendance whose early financial support helped launch the Foundation in 2008: Phil and Rose Freidman, Harvey and Connie Krueger, and Congressman Joe DioGuardi.

Links:

Lantos Foundation Announces Recipient of Lantos Human Rights Prize

The Epoch Times: Elie Wiesel Honored with Lantos Human Rights Award

LongIslandPress.com: Elie Wiesel to Receive Human Rights Award

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