2018 Eisenhower Fellows Awards Dinner

Article written by Kyle Purchase on behalf of Global Philadelphia Association

On May 17th, the Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) held their annual Awards Dinner at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which honored guests from both the United States and international organizations. This year’s dinner program was presided by Robert M. Gates, former U.S.Secretary of Defense, who, earlier that day, had been sworn in as the ninth Chairman of EF.

Secretary Gates presented the Dwight D. Eisenhower Medal for Leadership and Service to President Eisenhower’s grandchildren, David and Susan Eisenhower, for for their distinguished professional careers and longtime work to advance the legacy of their grandfather. The Medal for Leadership and Service is given to those “who has achieved, through direct personal contacts across boundaries, widely-recognized advances toward President Eisenhower’s vision of peace and productivity through person-to-person international dialogue.”

At the ceremony, Minister Mari Pangestu of Indonesia was also honored with the Distinguished Fellow Award, which is given to the individual who “made a significant contribution to his or her field or endeavor, and proven leadership in the EF network as well as their post-fellowship activities must reflect President Eisenhower's commitment to peace and productivity by working through direct personal contacts across boundaries.”

Minister Pangestu was Indonesia’s Minister of Trade between 2004 and 2011 and was also Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy from 2011 until October 2014. With these roles, Dr. Pangestu conducted all international trade negotiations for Indonesia. After her ministerial roles, she also is a member of the Board of Directors for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta and is currently serving on the Leadership Council of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). With these roles, she had exemplified of the Eisenhower Fellows mission of promoting world peace and making a difference in the world today.

EF was created by a group of business leaders wishing to create an international leaders exchange program. Their mission is to promote world peace just as President Eisenhower did during his tenure as President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. Since its inception, the Eisenhower Fellows has gained significant leadership after former President Gerald Ford was appointed President of Eisenhower Fellows in 1977. Congress has also been supportive with an annual federal trust fund of $7.5 million with the help of legislation from Senator Bob Dole and Representative Pat Roberts. The Eisenhower Fellows have initiated both U.S. and International programs to allow U.S. citizens to travel abroad to promote peace and also to allow for international business leaders to meet and exchange ideas in their respective fields.

For more information, visit www.efworld.org.