Organized in cooperation with Human Rights Watch and The Ratiu Center for Democracy Featuring Nabeel Rajab, 2011 Ion Ratiu Democracy Award Recipient

1 DECEMBER 2011, 2:00 - 6:00 P.M.
RECEPTION TO FOLLOW
WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR SCHOLARS
1300 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., NW
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004
RSVPS BY NOV. 30: IonRatiu-Award@WilsonCenter.org OR 202.691.4322
VISIT: www.wilsoncenter.org/ratiu FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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Nabeel Rajab, one of the founders of the human rights movement in Bahrain and president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, will receive the 2011 Ion Ratiu Democracy Award on Thursday, 1 December 2011, as part of the Ion Ratiu Democracy Award Workshop “The Price of Freedom and Democracy: Defiant Bahrainis and the Arab Spring” at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Rajab also has been active internationally as deputy secretary general for the International Federation for Human Rights and as the chairperson of CARAM-Asia, a regional network that addresses migration and health issues. He is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch and a member of an Arab media monitoring group.

The purpose of the Ion Ratiu Democracy Award is to bring visibility and inter¬national recognition to the ideas and accomplishments of individuals around the world who are working on behalf of democracy. The event expresses the deep commitment to democracy of the late Ion Ratiu through his contributions as a Romanian politician as well as his interest in democratic change worldwide. Ion Ratiu (1917-2000) was the most outspoken and consistent voice of opposition to Nicolae Ceausescu, whose regime he opposed for years from London as the democratically elected leader of the World Union of Free Romanians.

The event is supported by the Ratiu Family Charitable Foundation the Ratiu Center for Democracy. The Ratiu Family Charitable Foundation was established in 1979 by the leading Romanian dissident and democ¬racy campaigner, Ion Ratiu, and his wife Elisabeth Ratiu. The goals of the Foundation are to further education and research in the culture and history of Romania in particular, and also to stimulate and support civil society in its understanding and application of democracy and democratic principles the world over. Details can be found at: www.ratiufamilyfoundation.com. The Ratiu Center for Democracy is a non-governmental, non-profit organization based in Transylvania, Romania, which seeks to further the ideals of the late Ion Ratiu, a life-long advocate for democracy. The Center’s mission is to encourage non-partisan promotion of the values and behaviors associated with democracy. This mission is accomplished through a wide range of activities at the local, national and international level. For more information visit www.ratiudemocracycenter.org.

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2011 ION RATIU DEMOCRACY AWARD WORKSHOP AGENDA

2:00-3:45 p.m.
Panel I: “Youth, Democratic Change and the Arab Spring”
Chair:
Haleh Esfandiari, Director, Middle East Program, The Wilson Center Speakers:
Robin Wright, Distinguished Scholar, U.S. Institute of Peace and The Wilson Center and author, Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World (2011)
Caryle Murphy, The Washington Post and Public Policy Scholar, The Wilson Center
The Hon. Tamara Wittes, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs (invited) Comments:
Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and Recipient of the
2011 Ion Ratiu Democracy Award, and
Oleg Kozlovsky, Blogger, Co-founder and Director of Vision of Tomorrow Foundation
(Moscow) and Recipient of the 2010 Ion Ratiu Democracy Award

Coffee Break

4:00-6:00 p.m.
Panel II: “The Price of Freedom and Democracy: Defiant Bahrainis and the Arab Spring” Introductory Remarks:
The Hon. Jane Harman, President, Director and CEO of the Wilson Center Chair:
Christian Ostermann, Chair, Ion Ratiu Democracy Award, The Wilson Center Keynote:
Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and Recipient of the 2011 Ion Ratiu Democracy Award
Comments:
Wafa Ali, Journalist and Public Policy Scholar, The Wilson Center
Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy (invited)
Tom Malinowski, Washington Director, Human Rights Watch

6:00-7:00 p.m.
Reception, 6th Floor Dining Hall
Remarks and Award:
Nicolae Ratiu, President, Ratiu Family Foundation

RSVPS BY NOV. 30: IonRatiu-Award@WilsonCenter.org OR 202.691.4322