2008 Freda Utley Prize Winners

For Immediate Release 
November 12, 2008 
Contact: Atlas Economic Research Foundation, 703-934-6969 

 

ATLAS ECONOMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES WINNER OF THE 2008 FREDA UTLEY PRIZE FOR ADVANCING LIBERTY 

 

ARLINGTON, VA – The Atlas Economic Research Foundation awarded its 2008 Freda Utley Prize for Advancing Liberty to the Center for the Dissemination of Economic Knowledge of Caracas, Venezuela (CEDICE). CEDICE was selected as this year’s Prize winner based upon its demonstration of excellence in educating new audiences about the importance of freedom.      

Named for the late Freda Utley, an outspoken writer and commentator against totalitarian regimes, this $10,000 prize rewards the efforts of think tanks in difficult parts of the world that are most effective in disseminating the ideas of freedom.   

 

 

For the past 25 years, CEDICE has struggled to advance the ideas of free expression, market economics, and limited government. These ideas are at odds with a Venezuelan government that has used brutal means to consolidate power and promote a socialist agenda.   But in recent months, a vibrant student movement, catalyzed by CEDICE’s introduction of freedom on campuses, has turned popular opinion against the centralized power of Hugo Chavez.  As one judge remarked, “ [CEDICE’s] varied, effective outreach to promote liberty/markets in a difficult environment offers potential to affect great change.”

Students for Liberty, CEDICE’s flagship program for which it has received the Utley Prize, has galvanized young Venezuelans and helped build network throughout Latin America with the goal of introducing classical liberal ideas and demonstrating the benefits of a free society.  “ Working under the extremely harsh environment of the authoritarian rule of Chavez, CEDICE has created an innovative, multi-faceted program for reaching the students.  Their program is evidence that adversity brings out the best in us.” commented another judge.  

Another judge noted, “ CEDICE seems to have successfully engaged a large number of Venezuelan kids and youth despite the obvious difficulties posed by the Chavez regime and its power over the education system. Targeting not only kids in schools, CEDICE has also influenced the now famous student movement and has been able to reach out to various regions and all the key universities, thereby transforming the children’s’ and young adult’s understanding of free market economics.”      

In 2005, the Freda Utley Foundation established this Prize at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation because, in the words of Freda Utley’s son, Jon Utley, “ Atlas’s core beliefs are very much in tune with Freda Utley’s, namely; concern for human poverty and misery, and the belief that peoples of all nations have similar aspirations and can learn the universal lessons of freedom and prosperity. ” 

The formal presentation of the Freda Utley Prize will occur at Atlas’s Freedom Dinner in Washington DC on November 12, 2008. For more information about CEDICE, please visit www.cedice.org.ve. 

The Atlas Economic Research Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works as an international hub for think tanks advancing the ideas of freedom. Please visit www.atlasUSA.org for more information about the Freda Utley Prize for Advancing Liberty.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 at 2:27 PM. It is filed under @ Atlas, Atlas Award Winners, Prizes & Awards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Comments are closed.