Ronald Reagan Freedom Award

{{Short description|United States private award}}
{{use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox award
|name=Ronald Reagan Freedom Award
|image=President Ronald Reagan presents Reagan Freedom Medal to Mikhail Gorbachev at Reagan Library.jpg
|caption=[[Ronald Reagan]] awards [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] with the first Award at the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library|Reagan Library]]
|country=[[United States]]
|firstawarded=1992
|established=1992
|image2=[[File:Purple ribbon bar - general use.svg|100px]]
|caption2=Ribbon of the award
}}

The '''Ronald Reagan Freedom Award''' is the highest honor bestowed by the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation]].<ref name="award">{{cite web |title=The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award |url=https://www.reaganfoundation.org/programs-events/the-ronald-reagan-freedom-award/ |website=Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute |access-date=2022-03-07}}</ref> The award is given to "those who have made monumental and lasting contributions to the cause of freedom worldwide."<ref name="The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award">{{cite web|url=http://www.reaganfoundation.org/programs/cpa/awards.asp |title=The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award |access-date=2007-02-24 |publisher=Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016075344/http://www.reaganfoundation.org/programs/cpa/awards.asp |archive-date=October 16, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Until her death, the award was given by former first lady [[Nancy Reagan]] on behalf of her husband, who died in June 2004. The award was first given in 1992, by former president [[Ronald Reagan]] himself. In 1994, his wife, Nancy Reagan presented the award instead as he himself had been diagnosed with [[Alzheimer's disease]] that year and was unable to attend the ceremony.

In order to receive the award, the potential recipient must "have made monumental and lasting contributions to the cause of freedom worldwide", as well as "embody President Reagan's lifelong belief that one man or woman truly can make a difference".<ref name="The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award"/>

==Recipients==
[[File:Nancy Reagan presents Ronald Reagan Freedom Award to Bob Hope.jpg|thumb|Nancy Reagan presents entertainer Bob Hope with the Award, 1997]]

* 1992 – [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], former [[leader of the Soviet Union]]<ref name="award"/>
* 1993 – [[Colin Powell|General Colin Powell]], former [[National Security Advisor (United States)|national security advisor]] to President Reagan<ref name="award"/>
* 1994 – [[Yitzhak Rabin]], [[prime Minister of Israel]]<ref name="award"/>
* 1995 – [[Hussein of Jordan]], [[king of Jordan]]<ref name="award"/>
* 1997 – [[Bob Hope]], entertainer<ref name="award"/>
* 1998 – [[Margaret Thatcher]], former [[prime minister of the United Kingdom]]<ref name="award"/>
* 2000 – [[Billy Graham]], evangelist<ref name="award"/>
* 2007 – [[George H. W. Bush]], former [[president of the United States]] and previously [[vice president of the United States]] under President Reagan<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/07/AR2007020700141.html |title=Ex-President Bush Receives Reagan Award |access-date=2007-02-24 |date=February 7, 2007 |last=Nguyen |first=Daisy |work=[[The Washington Post]] |agency=Associated Press }}</ref><ref name="award"/>
* 2008 – [[Natan Sharansky]], Israeli politician, human rights activist, and former [[KGB]] prisoner<ref name="award"/>
* 2011 – [[Lech Wałęsa]], former [[president of Poland]] and [[Solidarity (Polish trade union)|Solidarity]] leader<ref name="award"/>
* 2022 – [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]], [[president of Ukraine]]<ref>{{cite web |work=[[Fox News]] |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/zelensky-wins-ronald-reagan-freedom-award |title=Zelenskyy wins Ronald Reagan Freedom Award |first=Brooke |last=Singman |date=7 March 2022 |access-date=21 December 2023 }}</ref><ref name="award"/>

==See also==
* [[List of awards for contributions to society]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ronald Reagan|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:American awards]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1992]]
[[Category:Ronald Reagan]]
[[Category:Humanitarian and service awards]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials to Ronald Reagan]]