THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE A VERY SPECIAL GUEST AT SPIRIT OF HOPE 2017!
The New Year is always a time of renewed enthusiasm and energy at Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC). This is when the annual Spirit of Hope campaign, in support of our inspiring educational programs at the Tom & Anna Koffler Tolerance Training Center and on the acclaimed Tour for Humanity mobile tolerance classroom, begins in earnest.
We have come so far since the first Spirit of Hope Benefit in 2004. In our inaugural year we raised $600,000 with 750 people in attendance; in 2016 we hosted 2,500 people and raised a record $3.7 million! It is this incredible success which generated the buzz of excitement and eager anticipation for our 13th "Bar Mitzvah year" Spirit of Hope Campaign.
And I am keen to share our latest thrilling news! In addition to Keynote
Speaker David Cameron, whose
appearance has already generated terrific interest and led to several 'early
bird' table sponsorships, I am thrilled to announce Brian Mulroney will be
our special guest at the gala.
The former Prime Minister, whose concerns about antisemitism prompted him to establish the Deschenes Commission of Inquiry on Nazi war criminals in 1985, spoke eloquently about the history of antisemitism in Canada as Moderator of the 2010 Spirit of Hope Benefit. I am so pleased to welcome Mr. Mulroney back to the podium, and look forward to hearing a fascinating discussion between these two brilliant politicians at the upcoming gala. Heightened concern about critical topics of global importance will certainly be the focus: the ramifications of the British Brexit, the growing influence of Russia on the world stage, the rise of both far right and far left politics, the ongoing crisis in Syria and the performance of Donald Trump as U.S. president are issues that will provide for a thought-provoking conversation that should not be missed.
I am truly proud of how far we have come, and grateful for the support shown by our donors for the essential work we do in helping to counter racism and antisemitism through education. Spirit of Hope is the engine which propels our work, and, as the demand for our programs grows, the Spirit of Hope fundraising effort become all the more important.
I hope I can count on your support, and look forward to your participation at this enlightening and iconic event. Just four short months to go!