Bronfman Prize Recognizes Founder of Freedom Now
Jared Genser '90 was one of two recipients of the 2010 Charles Bronfman Prize, bestowed by an internationally recognized panel of judges for humanitarian work. Specifically, the Prize is awarded "to young, dynamic individuals whose Jewish values infuse their humanitarian accomplishments." Genser, a partner in the government affairs group of DLA Piper LLP, is the founder and president of Freedom Now, a non-profit organization whose mission is "to free prisoners of conscience through focused legal, political, and public relations advocacy efforts."
Freedom Now has helped secure the release of people around the world who have been detained, imprisoned, or sentenced to death. One successful campaign resulted in the freeing of Pham Hong Son, a Vietnamese dissident who had been given a 13-year prison sentence in Vietnam for translating the "What is democracy?" web page off the U.S. Embassy web site and giving copies to some friends. The organization is currently undertaking campaigns in Africa, South America, Europe and Asia, including working to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize Laureate who has spent 15 of the last 20 years under house arrest since she and her allies won Burma's 1990 elections.
Genser has overseen the growth of Freedom Now, from being an all-volunteer group to having four full-time employees. The Honorable Vaclav Havel and The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the organization. The Bronfman Prize carries with it a $100,000 award that will be used by Freedom Now to support and grow its efforts. To learn more, go to www.freedom-now.org.
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