On October 16, 1982, the very first presentation of the Four Freedoms Awards took place in the Nieuwe Kerk in Middelburg. The laureates were Princess Juliana van Oranje-Nassau for the International Four Freedoms Award, Max van der Stoel for the Freedom of Speech Award, Willem A. Visser 't Hooft for the Freedom of Worship Award, H. Johannes Witteveen for the Freedom from Want Award and J. Herman van Roijen for the Freedom from Fear Award. The Awards were handed over by William Jacobus vanden Heuvel.