【新唐人2011年11月30日訊】11月28號，美國知名雜誌《外交政策》（Foreign Policy）評選出全球百位思想家，埃及牙醫兼小說家阿拉.阿斯瓦尼（Alaa al-Aswany）排在首位，因參與維權而遭中共打壓的中國藝術家艾未未名列第18位。《外交政策》認為，透過艾未未的經歷可以看到，中國社會的前景令人擔憂。
艾未未因調查四川地震的豆腐渣工程及遇難學生名單惹怒中共當局，今年4月3號被當局秘密抓捕，關押81天後被釋放。但緊接著又被北京地稅局指稱“漏稅”、追繳巨額稅款1522萬元。
《外交政策》介紹說，在中國，很多人權活動家、律師、關注公共事件的藝術家陸續“被失蹤”。透過艾未未的經歷可以清晰的看到，中國社會的未來趨勢令人擔憂。《外交政策》讚揚艾未未並沒有因屢遭打壓而沉默，他從8月5號起再次現身微博繼續對外發聲。
上海維權人士陳啟勇：“他本來是個藝術家嘛，後來受到政府這樣那樣的迫害，他自己也站出來維護自己的權利。當選這個榮譽，我感覺是應該的，我們支持他拿這個榮譽。 ”
大陸民眾表示，艾未未得到這個榮譽是民心所向，同時也是對他行為藝術的肯定。
大陸人士魯俊：“一個是，幫老百姓做了很多事情。第二個就是，在幫老百姓維權方面，也做了一些事情，在網上揭發了很多事。所以老百姓信任他，都願意幫助他。 ”
主業為牙醫的埃及小說家阿拉.阿斯瓦尼（Alaa al-Aswany）因為作品《亞庫比恩公寓》一舉成名，這部反映埃及社會百態的小說連續5年蟬聯阿拉伯世界最暢銷書籍。《外交政策》認為阿斯瓦尼的小說激發了埃及的“阿拉伯之春”運動，最終導致穆巴拉克政權垮臺。
這次評選，排在前列的還有國際原子能機構總幹事巴拉迪、微軟創始人比爾.蓋茨、臉書（Facebook）創始人之一的扎克伯格、國際貨幣基金組織(IMF)主席拉加德、美國總統奥巴馬等。
對於艾未未入選全球百位思想家，前《中國民營》雜誌記者、專欄作家劉逸明分析了其中原因。
劉逸明：“我認為最重要的是，他這個人有獨立的思想，敢於為弱勢群體說話，敢於向強權發出自己獨立的聲音。還有就是，他這個人的藝術水平、人品、他的影響力。”
今年4月21號，艾未未入選美國《時代週刊》2011年全球最具影響力百人榜的“勇敢和藝術創造性”獎。上個月（10月份），英國著名雜誌《藝術觀察》(Art Review)頒布今年全球藝術界百位最具影響力的人物，艾未未更是榮登榜首。
荷蘭評論人士立裡認為，艾未未挑戰的是一切侵犯個人尊嚴和自由的強權存在，他尤其看重言論自由，而中共恰恰是言論自由和思想自由的敵人。
香港《開放》雜誌總編金鐘則表示，艾未未在網絡時代的影響力，超過了傳統知識份子在社會公共空間中的作用，他是嶄新的民意代表。艾未未通過行為藝術和對社會的關注，創造了一種新的表達民意和政治抗議的形式。
除艾未未之外，中國知名法學學者賀衛方和政治學者俞可平也入選了《外交政策》這次評出的全球百位思想家，並列第19位。賀衛方曾經直言不諱批評中國的法律制度，而俞可平的獲獎則緣於他的著作《民主是個好東西》。
新唐人記者陳子善、李謙、王明宇採訪報導
Ai Weiwei selected as One of 2011’s Top 100 Global Thinkers
On Nov 28th, U.S magazine, Foreign Policy (FP), published
its list of 2011 Top 100 Global Thinkers, with Eyptian dentist Alaa Al Aswany ranked first.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who’s currently being persecuted
by the Chinese regime for upholding human rights, ranked 18th.
FP believes, through Ai’s ˘experience, we see that China’s
future is very worrisome.
Ai Weiwei angered the Chinese regime after he attempted
to investigate construction quality issues revealed
during the Sichuan earthquake and
collect a list of student victims.
He was secretly arrested by the Chinese regime on April 3rd
and detained for 81 days.
After his release, Beijing accused him of “tax evasion,”
and forced him to pay a $2.4 million fine.
FP wrote, currently in China, many human rights activists,
lawyers and controversial artists are “vanishing into government custody.”
Ai Weiwei’s experience clearly shows China’s worrisome future.
FP praised Ai Weiwei for speaking out despite persecution.
Ai reappeared on twitter on Aug 5th and repeatedly spoke out
on controversial issues.
Shanghai human rights activist Chen Qiyong, “He was just an
artist, after been persecuted by the government, he stood up for his rights.
The honor of been selected, I feel he deserves it, we support
the fact that he was given this honor.”
Mainland citizens expressed that Ai Weiwei receiving this
honor shows the public view, and also shows people’s support for his action and his art.
Mainland resident Lu Jun said, “First, (he) served the
general public.
Second, (he) defended people’s rights,
exposed many things online.
So the general public trust him, and are willing to help him.”
Egyptian dentist and novelist Alaa al-Aswany was famous
for his book “The Yacoubian Building”,
which reflects on conditions of the the Egyptian society.
It was first the best seller for five years in the Arab world.
FP believes his novel triggered the “Arab Spring” movement
in Egypt which eventually brought down Mubarak’s regime.
This year’s list of thinkers also included IAEA Director
General Mohamed El Baradei, Microsoft founder Bill Gates,
one of Facebook’s founders, Mark Zuckerberg,
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chairman Lagarde, U.S president Obama and others.
Regarding Ai Weiwei’s selection into the Top 100 Global
Thinkers, former China Civil Front magazine reporter and writer Liu Yiming discussed the reasons.
Liu Yiming, “I think the most important thing is, he has
independent thoughts and courage to speak out for the weak, courage to speak out with his voice.
In addition, he has artistic ability, character and influence.”
On April 21st of this year, Ai Weiwei was picked by
Times magazine as one of 2011 Most Influential People in the World
and given the “Courage and Artistic Creation” award.
Last month, British magazine, Art Review,
named him the most powerful artist in the world.
Dutch commentator said that Ai Weiwei is challenging
an existence that violates human dignity and freedom.
Ai stresses freedom of speech, but the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) is a enemy of free speech and free thoughts.
Chief Editor of Hong Kong’s magazine Kaifang, Jin Zhong said,
Ai Weiwei’s influence in the Internet age goes beyond the
normal function of artist and scholar; he is the representative
of public will.
Through behavior arts and concerns about the society, he is a
new expression of public will and political protest.
Other than Ai Weiwei, renowned Chinese Legal scholar
He Weifang and Political Scholar Yu Keping were also selected into FP’s list and rank 19th.
He Weifang openly criticized China’s legal system while Yu Keping wrote the famous book “Democracy is a Good Thing.”
NTD reporters Chen Zishang, Li Qian and Wang Mingyu