Three education and policy-based institutions announced Wednesday a partnership with blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng after his unexpected departure from New York University, due to pressures he received from the Chinese government.

Arriving in America in 2012 after his stealthy escape from his home in China.  Chinese authorities detained Chen due to his work as a civil rights activist focusing on China’s one child policy.

Announced during a press conference at the National Press Club, the three institutions introduced the partnership which began September and will extend for the next three-years. The Witherspoon Institute an independent research firm, The Catholic University of America Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies and the Lantos Foundation of Human Rights & Justice.

Chen’s affiliation with the institutions will allow him to peruse his academic interests and human rights advocacy for the next three years

“They jointly set up a human rights platform from which I’m able to speak up about the facts and realties of the Chinese Communist authorities violation of human rights, their inhuman brutality and the threat they pose to humanity,” said Chen, though a interpreter.

“From today forward no matter what difficulties we encounter, we will stick together and work closely for mankind.  We will make concerted efforts to defend the freedom of the Chinese people and move forward courageously to defend human dignity and other universal values. ”

The institutions presented represent a broad spectrum of care and concern in the field of freedom and democracy around the word.  The Witherspoon Institute is proud to work with CAU and The Lantos Foundation, citing that they consider Chen to be the leading voice of democracy today, “a truth teller.”  One that will be able to demonstrate the tasks

President of The Catholic University of America John Garvey said the world is divided into two kinds of people, those who see everything in two kinds of categories and those who don’t.

“We need leaders like Chen Guangchen who are willing to work with many ideological backgrounds to solve the problems of humanity.  And I think what he will demonstrate, and I hope what your story will reflect is that he will work with either side of the political spectrum and more importantly he will dedicate himself to solving the problems of humanity in general, “Ambassador Richard Swett, Treasure of the Lantos Foundation.

They greatly admire Chen’s bravery in defending basic human rights in China and consider his work to be that of an advocate, and in the near future things are going to  change.