The Vilcek Foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia. The Foundation was established with the aim of raising public awareness around immigrants’ contributions to the sciences, arts, and culture in the United States. The Foundation’s mission was inspired by the couple’s careers in science and art, as well as their personal experiences and appreciation for the opportunities given to them as newcomers to the United States. The Foundation showcases immigrant artists and performers in their New York gallery, awards the annual Vilcek Prizes, and sponsors numerous events such as the Santa Fe Opera and Hawaii International Film Festival.
In the 2010 Spring newsletter, the Vilcek Foundation recognized Fuad El-Hibri, Chairman and CEO of Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. This is a summary of their report. The original can be found here:
http://www.vilcek.org/news_articles/newsletters/2010/spring/newsletter_spring2010.html
In addition to his accomplishments in the business world, El-Hibri founded the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation in 2001 in honor of his father, Ibrahim El-Hibri. The Foundation annually awards the El-Hibri Peace Education Prize to peace educators. It also funds other programs aligned with its four part mission statement promoting Peace Education, Interfaith Dialogue, Humanitarian Aid, and Social Justice.
El-Hibri credits much of his success in the business and philanthropic world to his immigrant background. He was raised in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East but always knew he wanted to attend college in the United States. After being accepted to Stanford that dream became a reality. After completing his undergraduate degree at Stanford he received his Master’s degree from Yale. This international background instilled in El-Hibri the desire to encourage dialogue between different cultures which in 2007 lead to the annual El-Hibri Prize for Peace Education.
“We are trying to get to the crucial goal of establishing a more evident culture of peace,” said Zen Hunter-Ishikawa, Vice President of Operations at El-Hibri Charitable Foundation. The Prize for Peace Educators awards individuals who have made major contributions to the field of peace education. Past winners of the prize include Scott Kennedy, former Mayor of Santa Cruz, California, and Abdul Aziz Said, professor at American University in Washington D.C.
“It’s taken some time to get organized,” said El-Hibri, “So it’s only been the last few years we’ve been able to focus on our programs. We hope to grow significantly over the years.”
