The Athenagoras Human Rights Award
History behind the award
In 1986 the National Council of the Order of St. Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America established The Athenagoras Human Rights Award. The Award is presented every year at the Annual Banquet of the Order to a person or organization, which has consistently exemplified by action, purpose and dedication, concern for the basic rights and religious freedom of all people.
The Award was named after one of the Great Church Leaders of the 20th Century, the late Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Athenagoras I.
Athenagoras was born on March 25, 1886, in the small village Vassilikon in the district Pogonion, a province of Epirus in north western Greece. He rose through the clerical ranks and served as Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America from 1931 to 1948. On November 1, 1948, he was elected to the high office of Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople by the Holy Synod of the most venerable Orthodox See.
In his capacities, as Archbishop and then as Ecumenical Patriarch, he cultivated a new era of recognition and prestige for the Orthodox Christian Church on an international and ecumenical level. Having established closer contacts with sister churches of Orthodoxy, with leaders of other Christian Churches and with other Faiths and denominations, his name became synonymous with love for all peoples of the earth. He lived to see the Church of Constantinople almost totally destroyed September 1955 during the pogrom and anti-Greek riots by the Turkish mobs. He was the first Ecumenical Patriarch to open the road for a dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church after the schism of 1054 between the two Churches. He met Pope Paul VI on January 4-5, 1964 in Jerusalem, to reconcile and pray together for peace, love and respect between the two Apostolic Churches.
Previous recipients
His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II
Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa
Scientists who saved humanity from the Covid pandemic
Honoring Those Scientists Whose Extraordinary Efforts Led To Worldwide Covid Vaccines And Therapeutics Saving Millions Of Lives
Emilia Kamvisi and Efstratios Valamios
Representing the fishermen of Lesbos and the Greek Islands
Vice President Joe Biden
Vice President of the United States of America
Jay Alan Sekulow, PhD, JD
Chief Counsel
American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ)
European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ)
60 Minutes
Jeff Fager, President and CEO accepting on behalf of 60 Minutes
Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Andreas Dracopoulos, Director & Co-President accepting on behalf of the Foundation
Admiral James G. Stavridis
Supreme Allied Commander Europe accepting on behalf of the heroic U.S. Armed Forces
Rabbi Arthur Schneier
Founder and President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation
Archbishop Demetrios of America
Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch
Mr. Nicholas J. Bouras
World War II Hero, Industrialist, Philanthropist and Great Churchman
Mikhail Gorbachev
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former President of the Soviet Union
Mr. Alex G. Spanos
Extraordinary Humanitarian Philanthropist, Human Rights Advocate and Defender of the Faith
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC)
Agencies of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA)
President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush
41st President of the United States of America and First Lady
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania
Elie Wiesel
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
University Professor and Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities
Nana Mouskouri
World renowned Singer
Dedicated herself to children as UNICEF Ambassador and Europarliamentarian
Reverend Clergy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
The Clergy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Order of AHEPA
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association
Hon. Edward Derwinski
1st United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Hon. Paul S. Sarbanes
Former United States Senator of the State of Maryland
Ladies Philoptochos
Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society
Hon. John Brademas
President Emeritus of New York University
Anthony G. Borden, MD
Radiologist and Former National Commander of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle
Mother Theresa
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Humanitarian and Advocate for the Poor and Helpless
Archbishop Iakovos
Former Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America