COEUR d'ALENE - The Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations in cooperation with its sister organization, Human Rights Education Institute announced the keynote speaker for the 15th annual human rights banquet scheduled April 23.

Dr. Jianli Yang, president of the Foundation for China in the 21st Century, will address the topic "A Dissident's Struggle to Bring Democracy to China."

"Dr. Jianli Yang was an excellent choice for this year's human rights banquet keynoter due to several recent events," said KCTFHR secretary Tony Stewart. "Dr. Yang is an intellectual expert on the political, economic and social life in China with his commitment to transforming China into a democracy."

Yang is recognized as the leading architect and is at the forefront of the "Chinese Democracy Movement." He is the co-author of a constitution for a democratic China.

Yang, a native of China, was protesting in Tiananmen Square in 1989 when the now infamous massacre took place. His involvement in the uprising put him on a list of 48 leaders banned from China by the Chinese government.

Yang came to the United States where he earned a Ph.D. degree in mathematics from the University of California, Berkley, and a second Ph.D. from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

In 2002 Yang used a friend's passport to reenter China to report on unfolding labor unrest. He was detained and held by the Chinese authorities for a year, tortured, tried on trumped up charges for spying and sentenced to five years in prison.

Following an international outcry for his release and after being a prisoner for five years, he was released and returned to his adopted United States in 2007.

"The KCTFHR is fortunate to present a speaker who advocates the Task Force's mission of promoting equality, freedom and justice for all the world's people," Stewart said. "Dr. Yang has experienced through imprisonment what it means to take a stand for freedom."

He has testified before congressional committees in both the United States Senate as well as the U.S. House of Representatives.

Frequently consulted by national media for his views on China, Yang has addressed audiences around the world concerning democracy in China.

Yang was the recipient of the "Outstanding Chinese Student in America Award" in 1990. In 2009 he was elected by the Chinese independent intellectuals as one of the top 100 Chinese Public Intellectuals and he was recognized by Chinese Twitter users as one of the "50 Most Respected Chinese Citizens of 2009."

The banquet will also include presentations of this year's "KCTFHR Civil Rights Award" and the "Bill Wassmuth Memorial Volunteer-of-the-Year Award"

The banquet profits go to the Human Rights Education Institute to assist in the Institute's providing four annual minority student scholarships at North Idaho College.

The event will be at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn with a reception at 5 p.m. and the banquet at 6.

Banquet individual tickets are $40 and banquet tables are $500 and $1,000. Details are available by calling 765-3932.

"Yang's visit to Coeur d'Alene is especially important following the recent visit to the United States by China's Vice-President Xi Jimping who will soon become China's next President," Stewart said. "In addition, there is presently a power struggle between political factions for future control of the Chinese Communist Party that Dr. Yang can share with our audience."

Stewart also pointed out that a number of local residents including community leaders have visited China in recent years and should be interested in meeting and listening to Dr. Yang.