President Chen Shui-bian was presented with this year's award to honor his strong opposition to authoritarian government early in his political career, his contribution to Taiwan's transition to a democratic pluralist system, his establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, and other achievements since he became president. The award is a recognition of Chen's personal accomplishments and a strong international affirmation of Taiwan's many years of political reform and democratic liberalization.
此次陳總統是以其早年力抗威權壓制、協助國內政體轉型為民主多元國家，就任總統後更創設國家人權委員會等事蹟獲獎，一方面表彰其個人成就，一方面也代表國際社會對我國多年來厲行政治改革、民主開放的高度肯定。