[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 155 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S11909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CONRAD N. HILTON AWARD FOR CASA ALIANZA

 Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is a privilege to bring to the 
attention of the Senate the excellent work that an impressive 
organization in Costa Rica is doing to address the tragic problem of 
street children in Central America. The organization, Casa Alianza--a 
subsidiary of Covenant House in New York--is headquartered in Costa 
Rica. It was founded in 1981, and provides services for thousands of 
homeless children, ages six to eighteen, offering shelter, food, 
medical care, and educational opportunities.
  The extraordinary work of Casa Alianza was recently honored by the 
Hilton Foundation, when it received one of the world's most prestigious 
humanitarian awards, the Conrad N. Hilton Award.
  At the ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland to present the award, Queen 
Noor of Jordan praised Casa Alianza. As she stated, ``The phenomenon of 
street children is global, alarming and escalating. Estimates are that 
today are 100 million children living on the world's streets. Casa 
Alianza deserves the Hilton Humanitarian Prize for being the voice and 
the defender of this helpless and unprotected segment of society and 
for its important work to stop the human rights abuses inflicted upon 
them.''
  In accepting the award, Bruce Harris, executive director of Casa 
Alianza, said, ``Street children are often the victims of violence, but 
what is even more hurtful to them is society's indifference. * * * The 
prize money will feed and shelter many more abandoned children, but the 
recognition will feed their souls.''
  Mr. Harris was recently profiled in the book Speak Truth to Power: 
Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World, by my niece, Kerry 
Kennedy Cuomo.
  I join in commending Casa Alianza for this well-deserved award and 
for its pioneering work. These children desperately need help, and Casa 
Alianza is providing it. At great risk, including facing death threats 
and armed on its facilities, Casa Alianza and Bruce Harris are acting 
effectively on behalf of these needy children. They deserve our praise, 
our thanks, and, most importantly, our support. 

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