DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

2007: The Honorable Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State; chairwoman, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs

INTERNATIONAL HONOREES

2008: Jakob Finci, President, Jewish Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina; President, La Benevolencija (Jewish cultural, educational and humanitarian society of Bosnia and Herzegovina)

2007: Abdelfattah Amor, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief; former President, UNESCO human-rights jury

2006: President Václav Havel, former President Czechoslovakia, and subsequently Czech Republic; active in human rights initiatives Charter 77, the Velvet Revolution and Shared Concern Initiative

2005: Father Elias Chacour, Founder and President, Israel’s Mar Elias Educational Institutions; three- time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize

2004: Prof. Alberto de la Hera, Director General, Department of Religious Affairs for the Spanish Ministry of Justice

2003: M. Farooq Kathwari, Chairman and CEO, Ethan Allen, Inc.; Founder, Kashmir Study Group

2002: John Wallach and Seeds of Peace, award-winning journalist and Founder, Seeds of Peace, an international conflict-resolution program for youth

2001: No recipient

2000: Mostar 2004 Project (including The Reves Center for International Studies at The College of William & Mary, War Child U.S.A. and The World Bank), organizations working to rehabilitate the cultural and physical vitality of the City of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, following the Balkans War

1999: His Excellency Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Great Britain for his leadership role in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations 

NATIONAL HONOREES

2008: John Witte, Jr., Jonas Robitscher Professor of Law and Director of the

Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University

2007: Kevin “Seamus” Hasson, Founder and Chairman, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty

2006: The Honorable Chet Edwards, member U.S. House of Representatives; winner of the Walter Cronkite Faith & Freedom Award

2005: The Honorable Robert A. Seiple, first U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom; Founder, Institute for Global Engagement

2004: Garry Wills, Ph.D., Pulitzer Prize-winning author; adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University

2003: Norman Lear, Emmy award-winning writer and television producer; Founder, People for the American Way

2002: Martin E. Marty, writer, theologian and distinguished authority on American religious tradition; Professor Emeritus, University of Chicago; Founder, Martin Marty Center

2001: The Honorable Frank R. Wolf, member U.S. House of Representatives; author, International Religious Freedom Act

2000: Bill & Judith Moyers, award-winning television documentary producers, Public Affairs Television

1999: The Honorable George J. Mitchell, former U.S. Senator; Chairman, Northern Ireland peace negotiations

1998: Steven C. Rockefeller, Professor Emeritus of Religion, Middlebury College; Chair, Earth Charter Drafting Committee

1997: Merrill D. Peterson, Thomas Jefferson Scholar and Professor Emeritus, University of Virginia

1996: The Honorable Richard C. Holbrooke, Chief Negotiator, Dayton Peace Accords; U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations 

VIRGINIA HONOREES

2008: Dr. Charles C. Haynes, Senior Scholar, Freedom Forum First Amendment Center

2007: Dr. Azizah Y. al-Hibri, Founder and President, KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights; professor of law, University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law

2006: Dr. Robert S. Alley, Professor Emeritus of Humanities, University of Richmond; author of numerous books on church/state issues

2005: William Lee Miller, scholar in Ethics and Institutions, Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia; author, “The First Liberty: America’s Foundation in Religious Freedom”

2004: Rev. Dr. Robert Bluford, Jr., Founder, Historic Polegreen Church Foundation

2003: Rev. J. Fletcher Lowe, Jr., Executive Director, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and Rev. James A. Payne, Founding Director, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

2002: Rev. Benjamin P. Campbell, Pastoral Director, Richmond Hill

2001: Jay M. Ipson, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Virginia Holocaust Museum

2000: Very Rev. C. N. Dombalis, Dean Emeritus, Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Richmond, Virginia

1999: Tommy P. Baer, former president, B’nai B’rith International

1998: Congregations of Saint James Episcopal Church and Temple Beth Ahabah, Richmond, Virginia

1997: Most Rev. Walter F. Sullivan, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Richmond, Virginia

1996: Mary Tyler McClenahan and Neilson J. November, civic leaders, Richmond, Virginia

1995: James E. Ukrop and Robert S. Ukrop, civic and business leaders, Richmond, Virginia