Richard Gere Joins Chinese, Tibetan Activists Celebrating No

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In New York, Tibetan and Chinese groups came together on Friday, World Human Rights Day. It was to celebrate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to a Chinese dissident. Actor Richard Gere was there—he spoke about the award and what it means.

[Actor Richard Gere, Board Chair, International Campaign for Tibet]:
"Now the eloquence of that empty chair in Oslo...has extraordinary eloquence to it."

This chair's intended occupant is Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. He's being held in prison.

Around the world, there've been rallies like this one in New York on Friday.

[Tenzin Dorjee, Executive Director, Students for a Free Tibet]:
"We stand here this morning to celebrate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo."

A variety of groups came together for this event—groups including Students for a Free Tibet, Human Rights in China, and the International Campaign for Tibet.

[Mary Beth Markey, President, International Campaign for Tibet]:
Our collective efforts can change the world and will someday transform China into a free, democratic, true 'People's Republic.'"

Also speaking, actor Richard Gere.

[Actor Richard Gere, Board Chair, International Campaign for Tibet]:
"It's clear that, in the end, brute force can never really stop that innate, universal drive for happiness, for freedom, for expression, for community. And this Nobel Peace Prize for Liu Xiaobo, I think, demonstrates that."

The Chinese regime has not just sentenced Liu to prison for 11 years. Authorities have rounded up hundreds of people around the country ahead of today's Nobel ceremony.

They've also blacked out some foreign media broadcasts into China, including programming related to Liu from CNN and BBC.

[Tenzin Dorjee, Executive Director, Students for a Free Tibet]:
"In reality, it is a display of Beijing's weakness and brittleness."

Matt Gnaizda, NTD News, New York