About the Foundation

Chairman's Corner

Dear Friend,

For almost 30 years Tom and I had the privilege of working together in the Congress, fighting for the human rights and dignity of people in every corner of the world. This commitment to human rights was a passion we shared, born out of our joint experience as Holocaust survivors. With colleagues on both sides of the aisle we founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and successfully waged many important legislative battles. Every day we tried to fight the good fight on behalf of those who often can't fight for themselves.

In the final weeks of his life, Tom asked me and my daughters to establish a foundation to carry on his legacy as an ardent champion for human rights. This is now the mission of my life. I am deeply committed to making the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice a vital and respected voice, standing up for our nation's most important values. It is our steadfast devotion to those values of decency, dignity, and freedom that make us both the strongest and the most hopeful nation on the face of the earth. Tom believed this with every fiber of his being and through the work of the Foundation we can, in Tom's words, carry "the noble banner of human rights to every corner of the world."

The Foundation, broadly speaking, has a three-part mission:

Educate and mentor a new generation of young leaders to instill a deep understanding of the fundamental truth that we are our brothers' keepers. The Foundation will establish a Lantos Congressional Fellowship program to bring talented young graduates of law school and other graduate programs to Capitol Hill. This will provide fellows with the opportunity to learn how to translate human rights ideals into real policy solutions. The Foundation will also develop a human rights curriculum for middle schools and high schools that eventually can be taken to school districts across the country.
We intend to reach out to those brave individuals and groups around the world who are on the front lines of human rights struggles that so often take place out of the public spotlight. These courageous men and women desperately need to know that they are not forgotten and not alone. Through the Lantos Foundation Front-line Fund, we hope to partner with other human rights organizations to provide direct assistance to those who are in the trenches of these important human rights battles.
Finally, we want to recognize, support, and honor the heroes of the human rights movement. Each year the Foundation hopes to award the Lantos Human Rights Prize to an individual or organization that exemplifies the ideal that human rights are universal, indivisible, and truly the birthright of every single human being. This annual event will be an opportunity to focus the attention of the world on this fundamental truth.

I confess that I dream of a day when the Lantos Human Rights prize will be as distinguished in its sphere as the Nobel Peace prize has become. I realize this is a lofty goal, but it would be impossible to be married to my remarkable husband for over half a century without coming to believe in the possibility of dreams coming true. Tom often said that our lives were like a dream come true. Although there were some very tough times at the start, we nonetheless marveled that two penniless and persecuted Holocaust survivors had been given the opportunity in America to be part of the greatest story of hope and liberty that any country has ever written. Through the Lantos Foundation we hope to help continue writing that inspiring story. And with your help we will.

With sincere thanks,

Annette Lantos
Chairman
Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice

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