Kailash Satyarthi decorated with Freedom award at Freedom Festival

Kailash Satyarthi was decorated with the Freedom Award by America's Freedom Foundation at Provo, Utah. On the eve of the nation’s birthday, hundreds of community leaders, dignitaries and Utah Valley patriots gathered to honour individuals who have espoused the cause of freedom throughout the world. Participants enjoyed the inspiring stories of these individuals honoured. The Awards Gala was held on Friday June 30, 2006, at the BYU Wilkinson Centre Ballroom.

America's Freedom Festival at Provo is recognized as one of America's biggest and best patriotic attractions, drawing in hundreds of thousands of spectators every year from all 50 states and other nations.

Mr. Kailash Satyarthi was recognised for his exemplary courage and commitment to the millions of young children in bondage in his home country of India. The award committee recognized Kailash Satyarthi as the foremost advocate in ending the triumvirate of child labour, poverty and illiteracy and the architects of the Global March Against Child Labour and Global Campaign for Education. He founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) in 1980, which is the initiator of the first regional South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude. Till date, more than 70,000 child and bonded labourers have been rescued by his efforts in India alone. His solution to eventually ending child labour is achieving “education for all" and empowering consumers to take a stand against child labour.

In his acceptance speech Mr. Satyarthi mentioned that one of the most important ways to bring freedom to the world is through providing education to every child. He said that the principles and values of freedom are meaningless unless all citizens of the world are not ensured freedom. He emphasized to build a global perspective in understanding the problems and a global vision to solve them. He added that the spending on the good quality and secular education is the best investment to fight out the global terrorism. Education alone will bring peace and security to the world. Mr. Satyarthi also called for a world which is free from hunger, fear, injustice and ignorance.

He called upon the distinguished gathering to commit and rededicate themselves to achieving freedom, justice, democracy and peace to build a better world for our children.

For more information about Kailash Satyarthi visit:www.kailashsatyarthi.net