Now Hiring: Staff Assistant

The Lantos Foundation is looking to hire a new team member who we anticipate will quickly become integral to our organization and human rights work. The right candidate will have an interest in human rights and/or foreign policy, but expertise in these areas is not required. What is required is a desire to learn, the ability to be a team player, and the competence to jump into new situations and take on new tasks. There is the potential for the role to grow and expand based on the initiative and ability of the person who fills it.    

Special skills needed:

• Basic understanding and appreciation of human rights and foreign policy

• Strong organizational skills

• Competency in writing and research

• Self-motivation

• Creative thinking

• Ability to work well within a team structure

• Knowledge of and basic competency in Office Suite programs

• Outgoing personality 

Responsibilities to include:

• Providing support for program, fundraising, communications and administrative areas of work

• Maintaining the Foundation President’s calendar

• Assisting with database maintenance

• Event planning

• Office operations 

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree

Salary/Benefits:

• Salary range of $30,000-$35,000

• Benefits package includes flexible hybrid work environment, generous leave policy, employer matched 401K, monthly healthcare stipend

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to info@lantosfoundation.org.

About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. Based in Concord, NH, the Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. With a small but agile team, the Foundation has become an influential voice in the human rights movement, particularly in the areas of international religious freedom, combating antisemitism, rule of law, internet freedom and more. The Foundation administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement, and is a key convener of the annual International Religious Freedom Summit.

Lantos Foundation Announces 2023 Activist Artist Scholarship Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

Chelsea Hedquist

chelsea@lantosfoundation.org

Lantos Foundation Announces 2023 Activist Artist Scholarship Winners

Four New Hampshire High School Seniors to Receive $15,000 in Scholarship Funds

CONCORD (April 26, 2023) — The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice today announced that Rose Kosciuszek of John Stark Regional High School and Isabella Venezia of Keene High School will receive the first place awards for the annual Activist Artist Scholarship competition. Each will receive a $5,000 scholarship to be paid to the 2- or 4-year college or university they plan to attend in the fall.

This year’s competition for the first time offered applicants the chance to submit to two distinct categories: The essay category challenges applicants to examine the influence of a particular “Activist Artist” and show how that artist used their medium to influence, inform and inspire during their lifetime or beyond; in the second category, applicants have the option to submit their own original piece of activist art, along with a “museum plaque” describing their work.

Ms. Kosciuszek wrote a compelling essay based on the work “Putin Filled with Ukrainian Blood” by Andrei Molodkin. “The war in Ukraine rages on, and shows no sign of stopping,” she writes. “Nothing can replace the lives that have been lost in this meaningless display of Russian territorialism, but this portrait will stand as a reminder of how much blood has been spilled, and who deserves the blame.”

Ms. Venezia received the first place award in the original artwork category for her ceramic work titled “A Censored Scream.” This piece vividly illustrates the issue of internet freedom and the experience of people living under authoritarian regimes, trapped behind a firewall and unable to access truth and information.  

Two scholarships of $2,500 each were awarded to the runners-up, including: Leah Deuso of Newfound Regional High School for her essay on the graffiti artwork of Afghan artist and women’s rights activist Shamsia Hassani; and Sydney Smith of Coe-Brown Northwood Academy, whose original art contrasted the lives of two boys – one a child laborer farming cocoa in West Africa, the other eating a chocolate bar and oblivious to the suffering it perpetuated.

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation, congratulated the four scholarship winners and said, “Art has a unique role to play in the struggle for human rights. It can be a tool to advocate for freedom and justice in powerful ways that words alone cannot achieve. We are so thrilled to recognize the work of these four impressive students; they have truly grasped what we mean when we talk about ‘activist art’. We hope the scholarships they receive will enable them to continue learning and defending human rights around the world. We are grateful to the Bank of New Hampshire for making this program possible, and for the participation of our distinguished judges.” 

Funding for the scholarships is generously provided through a grant from the Bank of New Hampshire. Miranda Augustine, Marketing Coordinator for the Bank, said, “Bank of New Hampshire is proud to support the Lantos Foundation's mission of recognizing and elevating the important role that artists play in the human rights movement. It was an honor to judge and witness the impressive work of these four scholarship winners and all the applicants. We are committed to helping foster a world where creativity and activism can work together to make a positive impact.”  

The winners were selected by a panel of judges from the New Hampshire arts and education communities, and beyond, with a diverse range of experience and perspectives. This year’s judges included: Concord film-maker John Gfroerer, New Hampshire artist and gallery owner Pam Tarbell, Lantos Foundation Board of Trustees Treasurer Ambassador Richard Swett, Bank of New Hampshire’s Miranda Augustine, digital media specialist Isaac Campbell, Lantos Foundation President Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, Duke University student and former Lantos Foundation intern Daniel Wolf, and Tufts University student and former Lantos Foundation intern Leyla Mandel.  

This year, a small number of submissions were also selected as honorable mentions, including: Lillian Sununu of Winnacunnet High School (essay category), Polly Vaillant of Phillips Exeter Academy and Kayla Taylor of Concord High School (original art category). Following graduation, the scholarship winners and honorable mentions will be continuing their studies at a range of impressive colleges and universities, including Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, Northeastern University, University of New Hampshire, Keene State College, and others. 

The Activist Artist Scholarship program falls within the Lantos Foundation’s “Global Citizenship” area of work. The Foundation recognizes the powerful, yet often overlooked, role that artists play in the human rights movement. Through the Activist Artist Scholarship and other programs, including the Front Line Fund grant program, the Foundation seeks to encourage, support and elevate the work of artists who use their mediums to advocate for important causes. 

To learn more about the Foundation’s Activist Artist work and to stay updated on future awards, visit: https://www.lantosfoundation.org/activist-artist    

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About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. Based in Concord, NH, the Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activist art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. Past recipients of the Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil, “Hotel Rwanda” hero Paul Rusesabagina, and Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, among others.

Lantos Foundation Statement: Celebrating the Release of Paul Rusesabagina and Continuing the Fight for Prisoners of Conscience

The Lantos Foundation is thrilled to confirm that Paul Rusesabagina has been released from prison in Kigali, Rwanda, and has returned safely to his home and family in the United States. This marks the end of a painful and challenging ordeal for Mr. Rusesabagina and his loved ones. It began with his kidnapping in August 2020; since then, he has been tortured, made to endure a sham trial, and unjustly imprisoned for more than 930 days. Today, however, there is great cause to celebrate the freedom of a true humanitarian hero and human rights champion.

Paul Rusesabagina came to prominence on the international stage after the film Hotel Rwanda depicted his courageous and resourceful rescue of 1,200 Tutsis and Hutus during the 1994 genocide. He was honored with the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 and awarded the Lantos Human Rights Prize in 2011. The past two-and-a-half years have been excruciating for the Rusesabagina family, who have advocated bravely and tirelessly on his behalf. The Lantos Foundation has been privileged to advocate alongside them. The Rwandan government’s decision to commute Mr. Rusesabagina’s 25-year sentence and allow him to return to the U.S. is the right one.

As we celebrate Mr. Rusesabagina’s freedom, we also honor and remember the many prisoners of conscience who remain behind bars – people like Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong, Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, and so many more. We hope that this joyous development for Mr. Rusesabagina will offer hope for those still held unjustly at the hands of authoritarian leaders. Even more so, we hope it will inspire and encourage human rights advocates and activists everywhere to continue fighting for the freedom of political prisoners. The fight is never easy and the path has many twists, turns, and even seeming dead ends. But we must never give up. The Lantos Foundation commits to continuing our advocacy for many others whose fate still hangs in the balance and who need to know that we stand with them and will not forget them.

Enes Kanter Freedom Honored as a Human Rights Champion at Lantos Human Rights Prize Ceremony

Media contact:

Chelsea Hedquist

chelsea@lantosfoundation.org

December 9, 2022, Washington, DC – The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice awarded its 14th annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to professional basketball player turned human rights activist Enes Kanter Freedom at a ceremony held this week in Washington, DC. Mr. Kanter Freedom received the Prize in recognition of his courageous and outspoken advocacy in defense of fundamental human rights and his pointed criticism of dictators, such as Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and others. This advocacy has come at great personal cost: Turkey revoked Mr. Kanter Freedom’s citizenship and forced his family to sever all ties with him; the NBA bowed to pressure from China and effectively shut him out from the league; and he has had close calls with extradition and unjust imprisonment.

In accepting the award, Mr. Kanter Freedom called for more athletes to join him and take up the cause of human rights, saying, “Forget about the contracts, forget about the shoe deals and jersey sales. Who cares? While we are playing basketball in this country, on the other side of the world people are losing their loved ones, losing their lives and losing their homes…Put yourselves in their shoes. If your mother, sister or daughter was in concentration camps [in Xinjiang, China] getting tortured and raped every day, would you still pick money and business over your morals, values and principles?”

The Lantos Human Rights Prize is awarded each year, named in memory of the late Congressman Tom Lantos who co-founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, which was reconstituted as the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission upon his passing. The Lantos Prize honors and elevates heroes of the human rights movement and high-profile public figures that use their platform to advocate for human rights. Mr. Freedom joins a distinguished group of laureates including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, Israeli President Shimon Peres, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil and Bill Browder, founder of the global Magnitsky campaign, among others.

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation, said at the ceremony, “There are things in life that are bigger than our own pursuits, our pleasure and our success, but it is the rare person who is actually willing to put themselves on the line to defend those greater causes. That is what Enes has done. He has paid a heavy price, but he deserves to be very proud, indeed, that he has the guts to step into the crosshairs of brutal regimes and cowardly sports franchises, alike. I am confident that long after people have forgotten the names of basketball stars, past and present, they will remember and honor the name of Enes Kanter Freedom, as we do tonight.”

In addition to honoring Mr. Kanter Freedom, the ceremony recognized three prisoners of conscience for whom the Lantos Foundation advocates: Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, imprisoned since April 2022; the real-life hero of the film Hotel Rwanda and 2011 Lantos Prize laureate Paul Rusesabagina, imprisoned since August 2020; and Hong Kong democracy activist and 2018 Lantos Prize laureate Joshua Wong, imprisoned since November 2020. The family members and close associates of these brave human rights heroes spoke at the ceremony, giving voice to the prisoners who have been silenced and urging the attendees to keep advocating relentlessly for their freedom.  

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Please contact Chelsea Hedquist if you would like to receive photos or video from the Prize ceremony or to arrange interviews with Mr. Kanter Freedom or other speakers from the program, including: Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, Evgenia Kara-Murza, Anaïse Kanimba, Carine Kanimba and Dr. Jianli Yang.

 About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. The Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activism through art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement.

On Giving Tuesday, Two Great Ways to Give!

The days following Thanksgiving have become synonymous with buying and shopping. But Giving Tuesday offers something very different – a chance to focus on giving instead of getting, supporting instead of stocking up. This year on Giving Tuesday, we hope you will consider donating to support our human rights work here at the Lantos Foundation. Here are two great ways to give: 

1. Support the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program – After a brief hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we relaunched our Lantos Congressional Fellows Program this fall. This program brings distinguished European and Israeli scholars and young professionals to the United States to serve as Lantos Fellows at the U.S. Capitol. Their work in the U.S. Congress helps them gain a greater understanding of the role human rights plays in the American legislative process, while also bringing their international perspective to congressional offices. Meet our outstanding 2022 Lantos Fellows here and donate to support our incoming class of fellows in 2023 (the application is open here!).

2. Support “The Keeper” podcast – Each year a new multi-episode season of our podcast “The Keeper” offers an in-depth look at a human rights issue to our ever-growing audience. In the past, we covered the ongoing fight to combat antisemitism and we delved into the rule of law globally, examining violations from Rwanda to Russia. Last week we launched the first episode of our new “Sports & Rights season”, focused on the ways the sports world intersects and interacts with human rights issues. With interviews from human rights experts, activists, dissidents, opposition figures, journalists, artists, government leaders, and more, “The Keeper” is an amazing (and entirely free) resource for anyone who wants to better understand the field of human rights and its connection to global events like the World Cup. Give today to help ensure that we can continue to produce our annual podcast season for years to come.

We know there are many worthy causes to which you can give, but we hope that on this Giving Tuesday you will include the Lantos Foundation in your giving plans. We would be so grateful!

Statement: Time to confront vicious antisemitism at UC Berkeley and beyond

The following statement was issued by Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett and Annette Lantos:

The late Congressman Tom Lantos would be appalled to know what is happening at his Alma mater UC Berkeley, with nine law student groups amending their bylaws to ensure that they will never invite any speakers that support Israel or Zionism. This sickening display of antisemitism codifies discrimination against Jewish voices and silences viewpoints based on religious and cultural affiliation. It is almost unthinkable that this should be happening at Berkeley in the 21st century – but shockingly, we continue to see similarly blatant displays of antisemitism on college campuses across the country.

As the only survivor of the Holocaust ever elected to the US Congress, Tom understood better than most how central Zionism and the survival of a safe and strong Israel is to both the identity and continued existence of the Jewish people. The establishment of Israel was the fulfillment of the millennia-long prophesied dream of the Jewish people around the world, but it is also their ultimate protection against a repeat of the Holocaust.

It is long past time for leaders in every field of endeavor – especially academia – to confront the naked and vicious antisemitism in their midst. They must use every means at their disposal to protect the Jewish members of their community from such blatant discrimination and to vigilantly enforce their rules designed to ensure equal protection to all. Failure to do so will irreparably harm their institutions and bring dishonor to those who allow such hateful discrimination to stand. Moreover, it will make an utter mockery of the freedom of thought and expression, and the exploration of many varied viewpoints, that such institutions espouse and claim to encourage.

When Tom passed away in 2008, it was his wish that we donate the archive of his papers to UC Berkeley’s Bancroft Library. At the time, this seemed like a natural home for the Tom Lantos archive, given his close association with and affinity for the institution. However, we have to ask ourselves whether Tom might feel differently in light of UC Berkeley’s unwillingness to honestly and boldly confront the problem of antisemitism that it has allowed to grow and flourish on its campus, virtually unchecked, in recent years. We hope that this latest episode will, indeed, mark the beginning of the tide turning, but we will certainly be watching closely to ensure that Tom’s archive is in the hands of a university that believes in and upholds the principles and values to which he dedicated his life.

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett

President, Lantos Foundation

Daughter of Tom Lantos

Annette Lantos

Chair Emeritus, Lantos Foundation

Holocaust survivor and wife of Tom Lantos

“Is the Tide at Berkeley Beginning to Turn?” by Kenneth L. Marcus in Jewish Journal

Meet the 2022 Lantos Congressional Fellows: Enna Zone Đonlić

This year marks the relaunch of the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, following a two-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 100 fellows from Europe and Israel have participated in the program, and this year the Lantos Foundation has selected three outstanding young professionals as Lantos Fellows. In early September, they started their fellowships with U.S. congressional offices. Read on to learn more about the 2022 class of Lantos Fellows.

Enna Zone Đonlić

 Country of origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Languages spoken: Croatian, English, German, French, Turkish and Portuguese

University degrees and honors:

• Ph.D. in Law (2021 – present), M.Sc. in Criminology with Honors (2021) – University of Sarajevo

• M.A. in Democracy and Human Rights with Honors (2020) – University of Sarajevo and University of Bologna

• LLM (advanced law degree) in Civil Law with Honors (2019) – University of Sarajevo  

• M.A. in Political Science and Sociology with High Honors (2018) – International University of Sarajevo

• Diploma, Project Management in Humanitarian Action in Post-Crisis Societies (2017) – University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Porto, Portugal  

• B.A. in Political Science and Sociology with High Honors (2017) – International University of Sarajevo

• Awarded Silver plaque of the University of Sarajevo, 2019

• Rector´s High Honor Student List, International University of Sarajevo, 2015-2017 

In addition to her impressive array of degrees, Enna brings a diverse range of professional experiences to the Lantos Fellows Program. She co-founded the youth association “Dictum factum” and served as its project coordinator, including organizing a roundtable on gender equality in 2016 and a Youth Reconciliation Ambassador Event in 2014. Enna has served as an assistant in the Public Relations Office at the International University of Sarajevo; as a Youth Advisor at the British Embassy in Sarajevo; as assistant to Her Imperial Royal Highness Camilla Habsburg-Lothringen, Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Tuscany; and as a trainee at the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. More recently, she has been a researcher at Transparency International BiH, an Ambassador at the European Student Think Tank, and she is the Ambassadors Coordinator for Imagine Europe.

What do you hope to learn or gain from your time as a Lantos Fellow?

I am a believer in my dreams. I believe I can change not just myself but the people around me, my community and the country I live in. But I am also grounded and strong enough to make my dreams a reality. My multidisciplinary studies are my way of following my dream. Everything I do – each page read, song listened to, place and country visited, research conducted, speech delivered, seminar organized – these are the stones in the castle of my dreams. I believe the Lantos Fellowship will help me gain more experience and knowledge that I can use to bring the positive change that my country and society need.

What is your dream job? How do you think being a Lantos Fellow will help you on your career path?

My dream job is complex, layered. I want to work as an educator to young people, teaching them the importance of social and political activism, but I also want to be a diplomat and work in the international institutions from which I can help my homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Lantos Fellowship will help me gain more experience working in a political and diplomatic environment, directly participating in and learning legislative procedures and good practices that I would like to see replicated in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

If you could have dinner with any human rights figure (living or deceased), who would it be? What would you talk about or what would you ask them?

There are five individuals I would love to talk with: Tom Lantos, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Katarina Kosača.

Katarina Kosača is the last Queen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and as a huge history buff it would have been an honor to talk with her and analyze the position of citizens of the country; to speak about her vision of the future and they ways she would have loved to see Bosnia develop.

I love history, and through my studies I have analyzed the American Revolution many times, so it would be great to hear the stories of how the American nation and Constitution were built from Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.

And finally, two people with whom I would go into deep analysis of the state of human rights now, and what young people could do to change the societies we live in, would be Tom Lantos and Martin Luther King, Jr. I strongly believe that the two of them would have great advice to offer.

What about living in the United States/DC makes you most excited?

It might sound strange, but when I thought about visiting the USA, I always hoped and wanted to come to Washington, DC, because it is a particularly important place for me. The American presidents and their behavior are one of the reasons why I studied political science and law. I have also found inspiration in Presidents Obama and Biden. Although the history of the USA, and Washington itself, does not go back as far as the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Europe in general, it is an incredible feeling to walk the streets of Washington and visit all the museums. I try to make the most of every day, in order to enjoy as much as possible – not only in terms of work, but also in terms of history, food and conversation with people from DC.

Follow Enna on Twitter @ZoneEnna and Instagram @catherine_of_bosnia.

Learn more about 2022 Lantos Fellow Zita Barcza-Szabó.

Learn more about 2022 Lantos Fellow Omar Memišević.

Meet the 2022 Lantos Congressional Fellows: Omar Memišević

This year marks the relaunch of the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, following a two-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 100 fellows from Europe and Israel have participated in the program, and this year the Lantos Foundation has selected three outstanding young professionals as Lantos Fellows. In early September, they started their fellowships with U.S. congressional offices. Read on to learn more about the 2022 class of Lantos Fellows.

Omar Memišević

Country of origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Languages spoken: Bosnian, English

University degrees: BA of International Relations and Diplomacy, MA candidate of International Relations and Diplomacy from Faculty of Political Sciences, Sarajevo 

Omar has extensive political experience, having worked on multiple campaigns in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2016, including as campaign manager. He has designed and implemented Get Out the Vote and awareness-raising campaigns, and he served as a political affairs and external relations trainee at the Council of Europe. He is a member of the Advanced Leadership in Politics Institute and the European Democracy Youth Network. He also hosted one of the first-ever Bosnian political podcasts, which provided analysis of day-to-day politics in the country, policy commentary and predictions, and encouraged youth participation in politics.

What are you most looking forward to during your fellowship?

I have to say it’s first and foremost an overall cultural experience living in the United States and a history-rich and diverse city like DC, but also the experience of working for one of the most dynamic institutions in politics.

Tom Lantos always believed that human rights should transcend partisan politics. Do you believe this is still possible, even in a political climate with such deep partisan divisions? If so, how do you believe we can bring people together over key human rights issues?

Absolutely! Human rights are something that should be guaranteed for everyone, regardless of race, culture or political position, and as such they need to transcend the political aisle. Whether or not it’s still possible is up to the men and women defending these rights.

What will you miss the most from your native country while you are living in America?

Probably the little things, like having coffee in the old part of Sarajevo or going out with my friends and family.

Follow Omar on Twitter @OMemisevic.

Learn more about 2022 Lantos Fellow Zita Barcza-Szabó.

Learn more about 2022 Lantos Fellow Enna Zone Đonlić.

Meet the 2022 Lantos Congressional Fellows: Zita Barcza-Szabó

The Lantos Foundation is thrilled to announce the relaunch of the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, following a two-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tom Lantos, the program’s namesake, first came to the United States on a scholarship and was a professor, himself. He had a profound belief in the power of education and practiced the art of lifelong learning. The Lantos Congressional Fellows Program honors his commitment to educating the next generation.

Lantos Fellows are carefully selected from an elite pool of post-college and post-graduate level students from Europe and Israel. Through fellowships hosted by U.S. congressional offices, they have the opportunity to work in the United States and gain a better understanding of the role of human rights in American politics and the legislative process. The Fellows participate in weekly meetings with leading human rights activists, policy experts and other professionals.

More than 100 fellows have participated in the program from countries including Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Nearly 50 congressional offices have hosted Lantos Fellows, and the program is fully bipartisan – both Republican and Democratic offices host Lantos Fellows.

This year, three outstanding Lantos Fellows have been selected to participate in the program. They arrived in Washington, DC and began work at their respective congressional offices this week. Read on to learn more about the 2022 class of Lantos Fellows.

Zita Barcza-Szabó

Country of origin: Hungary

Languages spoken: Hungarian, English, German

University degrees: MA in Law from Eötvös Loránd University (2016); LLM (advanced law degree) in Human Rights from the Central European University (2021) 

Zita is an accomplished legal professional, who has a range of experience in human rights law. As part of her work for the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, she developed a European litigation guide for a project on classified data in asylum and return procedures. It was used before a Slovenian court and resulted in the release of the applicant from unlawful detention. She is an affiliated researcher for the organization Human Rights Nudge and was a co-author of the annual country report on Hungarian asylum law and practice for the last six years, published by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles. She has successfully litigated before the Court of Justice of the European Union, leading to a ban on psychological tests to determine sexual orientation in asylum procedures. She has provided legal advice and representation for asylum seekers before Hungarian and international bodies, helping secure refugee status, statelessness status and Hungarian citizenship for many.  

What motivated you to apply for the Lantos Fellows Program?

Right before applying for the fellowship, I was working on a research project that examined the compliance of Hungary with judgments delivered by the European Court of Human Rights. Therefore, my focus turned to the work of, in American terms, the legislative and executive branches. I realized that, both on the domestic and international level, human rights judgments are dead letters unless there is political will from both branches of government work together to implement them. The Lantos Fellows Program offers the opportunity to gain insight into how human rights can be strengthened through the legislative processes, therefore it was an ideal way to continue pursuing this research. My initial enthusiasm about the program only grew when I learned more about Tom Lantos and his legacy.

 What do you hope to learn or gain from your time as a Lantos Fellow?

I hope to gain on-the-job experience in legislation and political negotiations and learn how human rights can be successfully placed at the forefront during such processes. I am confident I will meet people who will inspire me and hopefully be examples that I can follow. The program will also give me greater knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, American society and will enrich my worldview by exposing me to new and different perspectives other than the European way of thinking.

 How do you think being a Lantos Fellow will help you on your career path?

The most important thing to me is that my job has the potential to make complex changes in societies to maintain or (re)establish democracy and the rule of law. I think a greater understanding of how a legislative body works will be a great benefit to me, whether in my home country or wherever I live or work around the world in the future. Being a Lantos Fellow is an honor and responsibility at the same time, and I will work hard to live up to the legacy of Tom Lantos.

What will you miss the most from your native country while you are living in America?

I moved abroad in 2018. Since then, the things I have missed most have been my family, the Hungarian theatre and the neighborhood around the dearest building to me in Budapest, the Dohány Street Synagogue.

 If you could have dinner with any human rights figure (living or deceased), who would it be? What would you talk about or what would you ask them?

There are so many people I respect and whose personalities, faith and strength stand as examples for me to follow: the Dalai Lama, Edo Jaganjac (Bosnian doctor and writer who provided medical care to many, regardless of their ethnic origin, during the siege of Sarajevo), Gábor Sztehlo (Lutheran pastor in Budapest who saved hundreds of Jews during WWII), Jenő Setét (a prominent Roma civil rights activist in Hungary), John Lennon, John Lewis, Malala Yousafzai, Margit Schlachta (the first woman Member of the Hungarian National Assembly, social activist and nun), Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nóra L. Ritók (founder of the Real Pearl Foundation in Hungary). As I’m just at the outset of the Lantos Fellowship, I wish I could have had the chance to talk with Tom Lantos and hear his views about the current political and social state of Hungary. I would ask him how unity and trust can be established in society. How can one “work across the aisle” in deeply polarized times? Perhaps I will have the chance to have this conversation with Annette Lantos, which would be an honor.

Learn more about 2022 Lantos Fellow Omar Memišević.

Learn more about 2022 Lantos Fellow Enna Zone Đonlić.

Lantos Foundation to Honor Enes Kanter Freedom with 2022 Lantos Human Rights Prize

Media contact:

Chelsea Hedquist

press@lantosfoundation.org

 Lantos Foundation to Honor Enes Kanter Freedom with 2022 Lantos Human Rights Prize

September 6, 2022 – The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice today announced that it will award the 2022 Lantos Human Rights Prize, its highest human rights honor, to professional basketball player turned activist Enes Kanter Freedom. He will receive the award at a ceremony taking place on December 7, 2022, in Washington, DC. Mr. Kanter Freedom will join the distinguished ranks of Lantos Prize laureates, including human rights luminaries such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the late Professor Elie Wiesel, as well as real-life Hotel Rwanda hero Paul Rusesabagina and Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong – both currently held as political prisoners – and several other notable human rights figures.

 “I am honored and humbled to receive this award in recognition of my human rights advocacy and to be in the company of so many great champions for human rights,” said Mr. Kanter Freedom. “Receiving the Lantos Human Rights Prize, awarded in memory of one of America’s great human rights leaders, motivates me to continue this advocacy, even if it comes with a personal cost. I feel grateful to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of those who are speechless and censored. I cannot – and will not – remain silent so long as I have a voice to raise in defense of those who suffer under brutal dictators or against those who are complicit in human rights violations.”  

Mr. Kanter Freedom was born in Switzerland in 1992 to Turkish parents. A talented basketball player, he has played for five NBA teams, including the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, and he represented Turkey as a member of its national team from 2008 to 2015. But since 2016, he has earned the greatest recognition – including praise from the human rights community and loathing from authoritarian regimes – due to his outspoken advocacy in defense of fundamental human rights and his pointed criticism of dictators. 

Mr. Kanter Freedom, who added the surname “Freedom” upon becoming an American citizen in 2021, has paid a high price for his activism. Turkey revoked his citizenship in 2017, and the Turkish government has targeted his friends and family – forcing them to disown Mr. Kanter Freedom and sever all ties with him. China retaliated against his outspoken advocacy by censoring the games of his then-NBA team, the Celtics. His professional basketball career has hit repeated roadblocks, as the NBA has shown itself more willing to bend to China’s will and spending power than to stand by an athlete who calls out the human rights abuses happening in that country.

“You can know the character of a man by his enemies, and Enes Kanter Freedom has some of the ‘best’ enemies a human rights champion could amass: Xi Jinping, Erdoğan and many other despots and dictators,” said Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation. “In an era where professional athletes live in fear of saying the wrong thing and losing coveted sponsor contracts or their spot on the roster, Mr. Kanter Freedom is the rare athlete who has used his platform and influence to stand up – and stand tall – for the causes he cares about, even when it puts him in the crosshairs of brutal regimes and cowardly sports franchises. He may only be at the beginning of his journey as a human rights champion, but he has already shown a degree of courage and conviction that few people possess. The Lantos Foundation is thrilled to honor him with the Lantos Prize, and we know he will continue to forge a path for human rights activists in the years to come.”

Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation, interviews Enes Kanter Freedom during the International Religious Freedom Summit in 2022. Credit: IRF Summit

Mr. Kanter Freedom has spoken out on a range of human rights issues, including: the Uyghur genocide in China; the persecution of Tibetan Buddhists; violations of the rule of law in Turkey, Russia and elsewhere; the need to actively combat antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of religious intolerance; the complicity of global corporations in labor rights and human rights abuses; the NBA’s shameful obeisance to the Chinese Communist Party; and more.

In one of his most memorable and prominent acts of defiance and advocacy, he commissioned artists to design custom-made basketball shoes with human rights messages like “Free Tibet”, “Free Uyghur”, and “No Beijing 2022”. He wore these shoes proudly during NBA games, prompting the Chinese government to censor them.

The 2022 Lantos Prize will be conferred at an invitation only ceremony in Washington, DC, which will also honor political prisoners for whom the Lantos Foundation advocates. More details about the ceremony will be forthcoming for members of the media. The Lantos Human Rights Prize has been awarded annually since 2009 (see a full list of laureates here). It is given to a human rights champion or champions each year to help draw attention to human rights violations around the world and to encourage governments to make human rights a priority on equal footing with other policy decisions. The Lantos Prize is named for the late Congressman Tom Lantos, who co-founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus – which was reconstituted as the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission following his passing.

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About the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice: The Lantos Foundation was established in 2008 to carry forward the legacy of Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a leading human rights champion. The Foundation works with a range of partners and often in cooperation with the U.S. Government on issues that span the globe. The Foundation’s key areas of focus include human rights issues related to religious freedom, rule of law, internet freedom and activist art. The Foundation also administers the Lantos Congressional Fellows Program, supports human rights advocates, activists and artists through its Front Line Fund grant program, and awards the annual Lantos Human Rights Prize to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. Past recipients of the Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Professor Elie Wiesel, the real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Iraqi Parliamentarian Vian Dakhil, Hong Kong Democracy activist Joshua Wong, Bill Browder, the driving force behind the global Magnitsky movement, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson, among others.