National Endowment for Democracy’s Post

Tonight, the National Endowment for Democracy will present the 2025 Democracy Awards, honoring the courage of those who risk everything to defend faith, truth, and freedom in the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s repression. This year’s Democracy Awards are being presented to China Digital Times for its commitment to documenting the Chinese people’s struggle for freedom, and the Campaign for Uyghurs for its tireless advocacy on behalf of Uyghurs and other Muslim communities persecuted by the CCP for their faith. We will also present Democracy Service Medals to two powerful symbols of faith and resilience: Pastor Wang Yi, imprisoned for leading his house church, and the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, abducted by Chinese authorities at age six in 1995 after the Dalai Lama recognized his role in Tibetan Buddhism’s spiritual succession. By honoring them, we affirm a simple truth: even the most repressive regimes cannot extinguish conscience, faith, and the human desire to live free. Stay tuned as we celebrate their courage!