2011 Profile in Courage Award - Opening Remarks by Caroline Kennedy

Boston MA -- Elizabeth Redenbaugh, a New Hanover County, North Carolina School Board member who stood up against what she perceived as racial segregation in school redistricting plans, and Wael Ghonim and the people of Egypt, whose courageous demand for democratic reform inspired similar movements across the Middle East, were presented the prestigious John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award™ by Caroline Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

"They live on different continents and move in different worlds, but Elizabeth Redenbaugh, Wael Ghonim and his fellow Egyptians have much in common," said Caroline Kennedy, President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. "They all can see a better future for their children, and they are willing to make great sacrifices to bring that future to life. They understand that local action is the engine of global progress. They believe in the power of democratic ideals to shape a more just world. They are inspiring examples of the idea that speaking up is a noble and important act -- whether or not you win the day."

The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award™ is presented annually to public servants who have made courageous decisions of conscience without regard for the personal or professional consequences. The award is named for President Kennedy's 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage, which recounts the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers, incurring the wrath of constituents or powerful interest groups, by taking principled stands for unpopular positions. The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation created the Profile in Courage Award™ in 1989 to honor President Kennedy's commitment and contribution to public service. It is presented in May in celebration of President Kennedy's May 29th birthday. The Profile in Courage Award is represented by a sterling-silver lantern symbolizing a beacon of hope. The lantern was designed by Edwin Schlossberg and crafted by Tiffany & Co.

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• Caroline Kennedy
• Profile in Courage Award
• John F. Kennedy
• Elizabeth Redenbaugh
• Wael Ghonim
• Egypt
• uprising