CARRY ON CAMPAIGN

In May 2023, the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice celebrates the 15th anniversary of its founding. What started as a dream to carry on Tom Lantos’s vital human rights work has resulted in a dynamic organization that, as we like to say, punches well above its weight class in terms of impact, results and influence.  We would like to think that Tom would be incredibly proud of the work we’ve done and the work we will continue to do in the future.

In the past 15 years we have:

• Successfully advocated for the release of high-profile political prisoners including Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Paul Rusesabagina;

• Helped establish the International Religious Freedom Summit, a civil society-led gathering that brings together more than 1,000 advocates and activists for freedom of religion, conscience and belief on an annual basis;

• Given dozens of talented young professionals from Europe and Israel the opportunity to work as Lantos Congressional Fellows on Capitol Hill, supporting the U.S. Congress’ human rights-related work;

• Honored 18 outstanding human rights champions with the Lantos Human Rights Prize;

• Awarded nearly 200 grants to front line human rights defenders through our Front Line Fund grant program;

• Established the Lantos Archives on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial, in partnership with the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), and continually stayed at the forefront of the fight to combat antisemitism;

• Convened the first ever coalition of human rights groups advocating for expanding internet freedom in closed societies, an issue that is truly the next frontier of human rights.

This is only a sample of our many achievements and successes. You can read more about our impact here.

The truth is that none of our work would have been possible without our incredible network of supporters. We can’t thank you enough for being part of the Foundation’s first 15 years, and we hope you will continue to be part of the Lantos Foundation family for the next 15 – and beyond. To mark this milestone, we are launching a yearlong fundraising effort, the Carry On Campaign, with the aim of boosting financial support for the Foundation’s work as we look ahead.

Sadly, we know that the fight for human rights is a marathon, not a sprint. While we see progress being made in many places, we also witness disturbing backsliding – from the vicious rise in antisemitic hate, to the ever-growing reach of China’s authoritarianism, to the violent stripping away of women’s rights in Afghanistan and Iran, to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and much more. To paraphrase the now famous wartime posters in Britain, this is a time to keep calm and boldly carry on with our human rights mission because the world needs human rights defenders now more than ever.

Please consider contributing to our Carry On Campaign in recognition of our 15 years and with an eye towards supporting our work in the years to come. We will be deeply grateful for your generous gift – every amount brings us a bit closer to our goal of carrying this work forward for the next 15, 25 and even 50 years.  

With your help, we can ensure that the legacy of Tom Lantos continues to impact and inspire for decades to come, and that the Foundation named in his honor retains its place as a leader of the human rights movement.