[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRATULATIONS TO TUNISIAN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNERS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 4, 2015

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as Ranking Member of the 
House Democracy Partnership, I rise today to recognize and congratulate 
the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for receiving the Nobel Peace 
Prize. This remarkable group of Tunisian leaders and advocates has 
worked tirelessly to transition their country into a robust democracy 
after the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.
  The Arab Spring sparked hope throughout the international community 
at the possibility of a new day for democracy and human rights in the 
Middle East. Unfortunately, in many countries that underwent 
revolution, the hope of positive change has not come to pass. Tunisia, 
however, has made great progress, and the Tunisian people have had 
great success developing their own parliamentary democracy in the wake 
of the Arab Spring. Much of this progress is thanks to the work of The 
Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet.
  The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet is composed of four different 
civic groups: the Tunisian General Labor Union, the Tunisian 
Confederation of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts, The Tunisian Human 
Rights League, and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers. These four 
organizations represent a broad coalition that has sought to create and 
sustain a new democracy. Throughout the process of adopting a new 
constitution, holding elections, and governing responsively, Tunisia 
has depended on the values of toleration and inclusion, and a 
willingness on the part of contending parties to forgo extreme or 
exclusive demands--exactly what the National Dialogue Quartet has 
espoused.
  As a National Democratic Institute election observer, and working 
through the House Democracy Partnership, I was privileged to witness a 
product of the Quartet's work last year when Tunisia held its first 
successful presidential elections. The Tunisian people went to the 
polls proudly and peacefully, engaging in the building of a 
parliamentary democracy that has already achieved a substantial amount 
and shows great promise for the future.
  To be sure, great challenges remain, and the international community, 
including the House Democracy Partnership, must continue supporting 
Tunisia in its first steps as a new democracy. As the Tunisian people 
work to ensure effective and open governance and functioning democratic 
institutions, they are fortunate to have the leadership of advocates 
like the National Dialogue Quartet.

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