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University Communications

Law Professor Azizah Y. al-Hibri and Madeline K. Albright to be awarded the First Freedom Award

January 19, 2007

University of Richmond School of Law Professor Azizah Y. al-Hibri will be awarded the 2007 First Freedom Award, by the Council for America's First Freedom, to commemorate the anniversary of the nation's first law guaranteeing religious liberty. Professor al-Hibri is one of four distinguished advocates of religious freedom, individuals who have made profound contributions toward advancing religious liberty around the world, across the U.S. and within Virginia.

Rodney A. Smolla, Dean of the University of Richmond School of Law said, "Azizah al-Hibri has been a leading national and international voice on issues relating to Islam, the rights of Muslim women, Islamic jurisprudence, and legal, political, and religious issues relating to the Middle East and Islam. Particularly in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Azizah has been a voice of moderation and tolerance. In her scholarly writings, her participation in national and international leadership circles, and her participation as a leader in numerous forums addressing these issues, Azizah has brought a balanced scholarly professionalism to the discussion of these highly volatile and divisive questions."

The 13th annual awards dinner, to be held on January 25, 2007 at the Jefferson Hotel, in Richmond, Virginia, will be chaired by Michael D. Fraizer, Chairman, President and CEO of Genworth Financial. The awards will be conferred to four individuals:

  • Azizah Y. al-Hibri, Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law, founding editor of Hypatia: a Journal of Feminist Philosophy, and founder and President of KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights will receive the Virginia First Freedom Award.
  • Madeleine K. Albright, former Secretary of State of the United States, Chairperson of The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Mortara Distinguished Professor of Diplomacy at the Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service, and celebrated author will receive the First Freedom Distinguished Service Award.
  • Abdelfattah Amor, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief (1993-2004), President of the UNESCO Human Rights Jury, member of many international human rights committees, and widely published legal scholar on Constitutional and human rights will receive the International First Freedom Award.
  • Kevin J. "Seamus" Hasson, founder and chairman of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonpartisan, interfaith, public-interest law firm that protects the free expression of all religious traditions, former attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel and author will receive the National First Freedom Award.

Ambassador Robert A. Seiple, President of the Council for America's First Freedom said, "These four extraordinary individuals have committed much of their professional lives to the defense of religious liberty." National Religious Freedom Day is observed each year on January 16, the anniversary of the date on which the Virginia General Assembly enacted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786. The landmark law was the first that guaranteed religious liberty and became the precursor for the First Amendment pledge of freedom of religion.

This year marks the 13th year in which the Council for America's First Freedom has hosted the Awards in conjunction with National Religious Freedom Day. Past recipients include President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain; and Richard C. Holbrooke, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

BIOGRPAHICAL INFORMATION

Azizah Y. al-Hibri is Professor of Law at the T. C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond. She received her B.A. from the American University of Beirut, a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania, and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Law. Dr. al-Hibri is a founding editor of Hypatia: a Journal of Feminist Philosophy, and founder and president of KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, which is a charitable, educational organization that focuses upon the domestic and global issues of human rights for Muslims. She frequently visits Muslim countries where she discusses issues of importance to Muslim women with their religious, political, and scholarly leaders. Dr. al-Hibri also acted as a consultant to the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Qatar in the development of that country's personal status code. She has written extensively on issues of Muslim women's rights, Islam and democracy, and human rights in Islam. She received scholarly and teaching awards and fellowships including a fellowship at the National Humanities Center and a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Qatar, School of Shari'ah.

The event is by invitation only but is open to members of the news media. For event information contact: Maureen Rosenbaum at (804) 643-1786 or mrosenbaum@firstfreedom.org.