2009 LiNK Benefit Gala

Hope resonates in everyone, yet is expressed differently in each person. It is believed that folding a thousand paper cranes - a symbol of peace and longevity in East Asian cultures - will make wishes come true and offer hope. And as a Haitian proverb so wisely states, "hope makes us live."

On September 12, 2009, we celebrated the hope that has carried thousands in their pursuit of freedom, because beyond every statistic lies unfathomable stories of resilience and determination that have been driven by some form of hope.

Also revealed were two new programs that will continue to give this hope by bringing more North Korean refugees out of the underground and by transitioning newly resettled refugees in the US into a physical home called "Liberty House" (currently a supplementary assistance program).

Although there is still much work to be done, we press on as we seek to rewrite North Korea's history and look forward to one day seeing liberty in North Korea.