Ambassador of the Netherlands MsHenny de Vries at a reception held at her residence to bestow the embassy’s annual Human Rights Tulip Award conferred 2024’s Tulip Award on Asad Ali Toor, a freelance Pakistani journalist known for his extensive reporting on pressing human rights issues in Pakistan.
This prestigious award recognizes outstanding individuals or organizations dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights in Pakistan.
In her speech on the occasion, Ambassador Henny de Vries celebrated Pakistan’s human rights defenders, who she said faced many challenges. She paid rich tributes to the human rights defenders who “work tirelessly to protect and promote the rights we hold dear, such as religious freedoms and the freedom of expression.”
Mr. Toor in his speech expressed gratitude to the Dutch Embassy and the Head of the Mission, MsHenny de Vries for recognizing his work. “Today is the biggest day in my life and career that my work is acknowledged by the international community,” he said adding the award would not only encourage him to work with more zeal but also imposed a responsibility to report on the marginalized, especially living in Balochistan, KP and minorities across Pakistan.
