In parts of Africa, entire communities at risk of genocide have become populations of displaced refugees. The valiant efforts at survival of mothers, fathers, and children - many of them orphaned - are threatened by persecution, terror, rape and murder. In their search for safety, many refugees fall through the cracks of humanitarian assistance and live in peril.

Meanwhile, in Burma, China, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Vietnam - and other parts of the world where human rights are compromised - prisoners of conscience languish...tortured, unaided, and without hope of justice. Their crimes? Pressing for freedom through non-violent means. Peacefully representing the voice of their people. Daring to seek change in the harsh rule of repressive regimes.

The courage and suffering of these people is immeasurable. But today their needs are being recognized--and their hope of justice is being restored--through ingenuity, dedication, and inspired leadership. The Charles Bronfman Prize is honored to recognize our 2010 recipients for the direct impact and broader implications of their work in the field of Human Rights.