Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition News and Article Release Issue Number: A788-O221

中国民主运动海外联席会议新闻与文章发布号：A788-O221

Release Date: November 19, 2013

发布日：2013年11月19日

Topic: Wei Jingsheng Attends the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Sakharov Prize and Sakharov Prize Network Events at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France

标题：魏京生在法国斯特拉斯堡的欧洲议会出席萨哈罗夫思想自由奖25周年纪念会及萨哈罗夫奖网络活动

Original Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)

此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）

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http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2013/report2013-11/WeiJSatEuropeanParliament131119forSakharovPrize25anniversaryA788-O221.htm　which contains identical information.

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Wei Jingsheng Attends the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Sakharov Prize and Sakharov Prize Network Events at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France

On Monday and Tuesday, November 18 and 19, 2013, Wei Jingsheng attended the 25th anniversary conference of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought with a series of well planned and beneficial events, held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. This is the biggest event for Sakharov Prize Network (SPN) since its official establishment 5 years ago. The network is a special unification composed of other Sakharov Prize laureates of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. It was originally proposed with the intention of enhance the communication within the laureates themselves and its association with the institutes of the European Union, especially the European Parliament. Wei Jingsheng always supported the idea to establish this network. After the two days events, Wei Jingsheng felt this has been the most beneficial time for the laureates in the network collectively.

Meanwhile, Wei Jingsheng also met with members of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition who come to Strasbourg from neighboring European countries to meet with him for work and exchanges. Some of these members also attended some of the Sakharov Prize Network events.

The so far already two-day celebration sponsored by the European Parliament so far was marked with many excellent activities beneficial to human rights and democracy leaders and activists. That includes a roundtable discussion on the EU human rights strategy; discussion of challenges and approaches of human rights in the EU; the impact of the European instrument for human rights and democracy; and presentations about the European Parliament's engagement in human rights.

Of particular benefit to the Chinese human rights and democracy activists who attended, was the session that introduced the role of the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights. A visit to the European Court of Human Rights and meeting with its President and a couple of judges were especially informative.

Later on Tuesday, Mr. Martin Schultz, president of the European Parliament and co-Chair of the Sakharov Prize Network met with the Sakharov laureates and also opened the Sakharov Prize Exhibition, where he also presented a commemoration book of the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Sakharov Prize to each of the laureates who attended.

The very moving part of the events was a debate presented between Hans-Gert Pottering and Jerzy Buzek, both former presidents of the European Parliament important to the establishment and development of the Sakharov Prize Network. The debate was chaired by EP's Vice President Edward McMillan Scott, a long time and firm supporter of human rights and democracy, especially on China.

Many members of the European Parliament (MEP's) attended and contributed to the events, including Mr. Elmar Brok, chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Ms. Barbara Lochbihler, chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, a long time human rights activist herself. Among the EP officials who attended the SPN functions and talked to the laureates, there was Mr. Stefan Pfitzner, head of Transatlantic Relation Unit, Directorate-General for External Policies at the European Parliament.

Related photos:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2013/newsletters2013-4/SPN131119withEUpresidents-c-6.jpg

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2013/newsletters2013-4/EPpresidentSchultz131119openingSakharovExhibition-c-6.jpg

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2013/newsletters2013-4/SPN131119atEuropeanHRcourt-c-6.jpg

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2013/newsletters2013-4/WeiJS131119atSakharovPrize25conference-c-6.jpg

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中文版

Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition News and Article Release Issue Number: A788-O221

中国民主运动海外联席会议新闻与文章发布号：A788-O221

Release Date: November 19, 2013

发布日：2013年11月19日

Topic: Wei Jingsheng Attends the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Sakharov Prize and Sakharov Prize Network Events at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France

标题：魏京生在法国斯特拉斯堡的欧洲议会出席萨哈罗夫思想自由奖25周年纪念会及萨哈罗夫奖网络活动

Original Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)

此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）

如有中文乱码问题，请访问:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2013/report2013-11/WeiJSatEuropeanParliament131119forSakharovPrize25anniversaryA788-O221.htm

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魏京生在法国斯特拉斯堡的欧洲议会出席萨哈罗夫思想自由奖25周年纪念会及萨哈罗夫奖网络活动

2013年11月18日和19日，魏京生出席了在法国斯特拉斯堡欧洲议会萨哈罗夫思想自由奖25周年的纪念会及萨哈罗夫奖网络的一系列精心策划和有益的活动。这是萨哈罗夫奖网络（ SPN ）自5年前正式成立以来的最大活动。该网络由萨哈罗夫思想自由奖的得主组成。其形成的意图是促进得奖者之间的交流，及他们与欧盟的机构，尤其是欧洲议会的沟通。魏京生一向支持建立这个网络的想法。经过两天的活动，魏京生认为，这是网络成立以来获奖者群体最有意义的一次活动。

同时，魏京生还会见了来到斯特拉斯堡拜访他的来自欧洲几个邻国的一些中国民主运动海外联席会议成员，并与他们交流了工作。其中的一些中国民主运动海外联席会议成员也参加了一些萨哈罗夫奖网络的活动。

到目前为止已有两天的庆祝活动包括有许多优秀的、对人权和民主的领导人及活动分子们有益的一系列活动，包括就欧盟人权战略的圆桌讨论；就欧盟的人权挑战和处理方法进行的讨论;欧盟各机构对人权和民主的影响；以及欧洲议会推动人权的介绍。

特别有利于中国的人权和民主活动家们参加的一部分会议内容是有关欧洲人权法院和欧洲理事会人权专员的作用的介绍。得奖者们还参观了欧洲人权法院并与法院院长及其他法官会面与交流。

在2013年11月19日的晚些时候，欧洲议会议长兼萨哈罗夫奖网络联合主席，马丁·舒尔茨（Martin Schultz）先生会见了萨哈罗夫奖得主们并为萨哈罗夫奖展览的开幕式剪彩。他还向每位出席开幕式的萨哈罗夫奖得主及随员赠送了一本有关萨哈罗夫奖25周年的纪念册。

活动很感人的一部分是两位欧洲议会的前议长Hans-Gert Pottering 和 Jerzy Buzek出席了会议并参加了一场辩论。这两位议长是萨哈罗夫奖网络得以建立并发展的重要人物。主持这场辩论的欧洲议会副议长爱德华·麦克米兰·斯科特先生（Edward McMillan Scott），则是一位长期坚定地支持尤其是中国的人权和民主的政治家。

许多欧洲议会成员出席了这两天的活动。这其中包括欧洲议会外交事务委员会的主席Elmar Brok先生，多年的人权活动家及欧洲议会人权小组委员会主席Barbara Lochbihler女士。出席萨哈罗夫奖网络并与其成员们交流的还有欧洲议会外交政策部跨大西洋关系组负责人Pfitzner先生。