On October 24, 2013, the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) held its annual Human Rights Awards Ceremony and Benefit Gala at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. The WOLA Human Rights Award is an opportunity to honor inspiring people for their deep commitment to human rights and social justice in Latin America. Here are some highlights from the evening.
This year WOLA honored three courageous individuals who have changed the course of Latin America from the 1970s to today:
- U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, for his 40 years of congressional leadership in making human rights part of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America.
- Marcela Turati, Reporter for Mexican magazine Proceso and Co-Founder of Periodistas de a Pie, for her courageous coverage that gives voice to the victims of Mexico’s drug-related violence and her work to protect journalists under threat by some of the region’s most violent criminal organizations. To see her acceptance speech, please click here.
- Ambassador Milton Romani Gerner, Representative from Uruguay to the OAS, for pioneering the search for effective, human rights-respecting alternatives to the failed war on drugs. To see his acceptance speech, please click here.
Click here or on the short video below to learn more about WOLA’s work and trajectory.
Nearly 300 guests attended this year’s WOLA Human Rights Awards Ceremony and Benefit Gala, including Members of Congress, senior administration officials, and leaders in the nonprofit, business, and labor sectors.
Click here to see Ambassador Milton Romani and Marcela Turati’s moving acceptance speeches (video and transcripts available).
Click here to see a selection of pictures published in Washington Life Magazine, and here for more photos of the evening.
If you weren’t able to attend this fantastic and meaningful night, we hope you can join us next year when WOLA celebrates its 40th Anniversary. It is never too early to reserve a spot at WOLA’s Human Rights Awards Ceremony and Benefit Gala. If you already know that you want to attend next year’s event, please email Kristina DeMain at kdemain@wola.org.
To see more photos from Washington Life Magazine’s coverage of the event please click here.
To see press coverage of the 2013 WOLA Human Rights Awards Ceremony & Benefit Gala, see the links below.
