Ai Weiwei and Eren Keskin receiving their awards
ISTANBUL – On September 15, on Hrant Drink’s birthday, the Hrant Dink Foundation presented the ninth International Hrant Dink Award this year to lawyer and human rights activist Eren Keskin from Turkey and artist Ai Weiwei from China.
The award is presented annually to people who work for a world free of discrimination, racism and violence, take personal risks for their ideals, use the language of peace, and by doing so, inspire and encourage others. With this award, the foundation aims to remind all those who struggle for these ideals that their voices are heard, their works are visible, and that they are not alone, and also to encourage everyone to fight for their ideals.
Lawyer Eren Kesin, has fought to bring awareness for human rights violations in Turkey for countless years while artist Ai Weiwei has drawn attention to inequality and human rights violations throughout the world through his works of art.
The award ceremony was hosted by Ece Dizdar and the opening speech was made by the President of Hrant Dink Foundation, Rakel Dink. During her speech, Dink also referred to the ones who got in jail for expressing their thoughts, and concluded her words by saluting the human rights defenders who were detained and arrested on July 5th.
The award ceremony started with AyÅŸenur Kolivar’s performance of “Da im Yusuf Orti,â€
