"Only oppression should fear the full exercise of freedom" - José Martí
The University in Exile award was presented to five Cuban dissidents at New School University’s convocation ceremony, held on September 4, to mark the opening of the the 2003-2004 academic year. Oswaldo Payá (initiator of the Varela Project), Vladimiro Roca Antunez, Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello, Raúl Rivero Castañeda and Oscar Elías Biscet González were honored for their courageous work for increased civil and political freedoms in Cuba. In sacrificing to bring a better life to Cuba, they have inspired people everywhere who yearn for greater freedoms and rights.
Antonio Santiago and
Juan Suárez-Rivas accepted the University in Exile Award on behalf of the five Cuban dissidents. The program also included the “Aims of Education” address by Lang College faculty member Pablo Medina (who left Cuba as a boy) and the presentation of Distinguished University Teaching Awards to Claudia Baracchi from the Graduate Faculty, Terri Gordon from The New School, Robert Levering from Parsons School of Design, Anwar Shaikh from the Graduate Faculty and
Nova Thomas from the Actors Studio Drama School.
