WASHINGTON —Freedom House recognized a distinguished group of advocates for democracy and freedom at its Annual Awards ceremony last night in Washington, DC, and launched “ Investing in Freedom’s Future ,” a campaign marking its 85th anniversary aimed at raising $85 million to support the fight to achieve a world where all are free.    The Annual Awards event was emceed by actor and human rights advocate Nazanin Boniadi . The unjustly imprisoned Hong Kong prodemocracy media publisher, Jimmy Lai , received the annual Freedom Award, which was first presented in 1943. Cuba Decide founder Rosa María Payá Acevedo ; businessman, activist, and communications leader Dr. Dionisio Gutiérrez ; the Republic of Finland, one of the world’s freest democracies; the fifth president of Georgia, H.E. Salome Zourabichvili ; and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press were among the year’s honorees. Watch the full event here .…