The 12th Annual Religious Liberty Dinner
It was a great pleasure and an honor for me to present the 2014 International Religious Liberty Award to Knox Thames, Director of Policy and Research at the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. It happened during the 12th Annual Religious Liberty Award Dinner held in the Willard InterContinental hotel, in Washington DC.
It happened to be the same day the Commission (USCIRF), issued its 15th Annual Report. In spite of the heavy rain and some floods in the Washington Area, 110 people representing embassies, government institutions, NGOs and religious organizations attended. It was again, as Knox said, "The best religious freedom party in town."
I have known Knox for more than 15 years. During this time he has been on the front line in the defense and promotion of religious freedom. From the Helsinki Commission to the State Department to the USCIRF where he has occupied the position of Policy and Research Director since 2009, his focus has not changed. We have always kept in contact and shared information. Knox spoke only a few minutes after receiving his Award, but it was from his heart with empathy for those who are persecuted and with determination for his mission. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix8xpr_gEWY
I am proud to say that with our Annual Dinner, we made history in the Capital, when it comes to religious freedom. The keynote speaker was Melissa Rogers, 
special assistant to the president and executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Ms. Rogers focused on religious freedom and cooperation among religious groups and how President Obama has promoted religious freedom. Eric W. Treene, special counsel for religious discrimination in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, received the National Award for his work against religious discrimination, given by Liberty magazine Editor Lincoln Steed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftytwGL3G7A Dwayne Leslie, PARL’s Director of Legislative Affairs and Melissa Reid, Executive 
Director of the North American Religious Liberty Association, both the main organizers of this event, gave the Recognition Award to Melissa Rogers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oand5DyWnMs
Such an event is a great opportunity to meet people who share, defend and treasure the same value. We missed our President Ambassador Robert Seiple, but it was a great pleasure to see among others, Professor David Little and his wife and Rabbi Saperstein and to share information about our different activities.
Melissa, Eric and Knox gave by their presence and their speeches a special tone to this 12th Annual Religious Liberty Dinner. It is probably the reason for which several participants said it was one of the best.
--Dr. John Graz,Secretary General, International Religious Liberty Association