Zeeland means freedom - Four Freedoms Awards

Four Freedoms Awards
2016
Zeeland means freedom. This is a tough
region, set in an endless sea, where
21 april: Four Freedoms Awards
in Middelburg
Land
of
freedom
there’s always a fresh wind blowing and
The Four Freedoms Award ceremony takes place in
alternate years in New York and in Middelburg, and
this year it is the turn of Middelburg. The following
laureates will be honoured during a ceremony in the
imposing Nieuwe Kerk:
with 400 miles of coastline waiting to
be discovered. A land of pioneers and
adventurers, like the family Roosevelt,
> the awa�d for Freedom of Expression goes to the S��ia�
la��er a�d cha�pion of freedom of speech Mazen
Da��ish;
who emigrated from Tholen to New York
in the 17th century.
> the awa�d for Freedom of Worship �ill be presented
to Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapa�a�nga, Ima� Oma�
Kobine Laya�a a�d Reverend Nicolas Guérékoya�eGbangou of the Centra� Af�ica� Republic;
> the awa�d fro Freedom of Wa�t �ill be presented to the
Congolese gynaecolo�ist d�. Denis Muk�ege;
> the awa�d for Freedom from Fea� goes to Huma� Rights
Watch;
The International Four Freedoms Award will
be presented to the Chancellor of Germany,
Dr Angela Merkel.
T
ogether �ith the Va�derbilts a�d the
St���esa�ts, Zeela�d fa�ilies like the
Roosevelts were pa�t of what was k�o�n
in Ame�ica as Old Dutch Stock: the va�ious
influentia� fa�ilies of Dutch o�i�in li�ing in a�d
a�ound the Hudson Va�ley.
New York Dutch Values
These fa�ilies, ma�nly from Zeela�d a�d Holla�d,
set do�n the sta�da�ds a�d va�ues of old New York a�d
the Hudson Va�ley. Their pred�lection for tolera�ce,
pra�matism a�d free trade had a� eno�mous appea� to
newcomers from the most d�verse bac��rounds.
That influx of settlers from Zeela�d a�d Holla�d
continues to have a major influence on the va�ues of New
York today. Something of their pionee�ing spi�it is still
tangible. Zeela�ders a�e k�o�n for their tenacity, their
sense of autonomy a�d p�ide. These a�e not docile people,
they like to do things their o�n way – just like New
Yorkers.
Four Freedoms
President Fra�k�in D. Roosevelt, scion of a� old Dutch/
New York fa�ily, made what has become a legenda��
add�ess at a� extremely c�itica� moment in histo��.
In his 1941 State of the Union add�ess he identified
four freedoms which would later be ensh�ined in the
Universa� Decla�ation of Huma� Rights.
Those four freedoms continue to play a centra� role
each yea� du�ing the presentation of the Four Freedoms
Awa�ds. The awa�d ceremony has ta�en place since
1950, in even yea�s in New York a�d in odd yea�s in
Middelburg. The awa�ds a�e presented to men, women
a�d orga�isations who have �iven practica� a�d
inspirationa� implementation to the idea�s of freedom of
expression, freedom of worship, freedom from wa�t a�d
freedom from fea�.
Roosevelt in Zeeland
Zeela�d is justly proud of the Zeela�der Fra�k�in
D. Roosevelt. A university college, severa� streets a�d
a hotel bea� his na�e, while in his a�cestra� �illage of
Oud-Vossemeer you �ill find the Roosevelt House a�d a
number of Roosevelt-themed tou�ist routes.
The Roosevelt Foundation and the Province
of Zeeland will shortly be announcing the full
programme for this year’s Roosevelt Four Freedoms
awards. You can find all our events on
www.fourfreedoms.nl