Soros Foundation

George Soros at the 47th Munich Security Conference in 2011

A Soros Foundation is one of a network of national foundations created by financier and philanthropist George Soros, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe. The foundations fund volunteer socio-political activity and have been coordinated since early 1994 by a management team called the Open Society Institute. Soros believes principles underlying the philosophy of the Open Society is that there can be no absolute answers to political questions because the same principle of reflexivity applies as in financial markets.[1]

Soros foundations are autonomous institutions established in particular countries or regions, especially those emerging from behind the Iron Curtain,[2] to initiate and support open society activities. Such countries include the former Communist bloc in Central and Eastern Europe, parts of the former Soviet Union, South Africa, and Haiti.[2]

The priorities and specific activities of each Soros foundation are determined by a local board of directors and staff in consultation with George Soros and OSI boards and advisers. In addition to support from the Open Society Institute, many of the foundations receive funding from other sources. Intended programs include "the education of librarians and others; expansion of a free press, Internet, and e-mail communication; publishing; human rights; arts and culture; and social, legal, and economic reform".[2]

One such program, for example, is the Library of Congress - Soros Foundation Visiting Fellows Program for librarians. Soros insists that staff in local Soros Foundation offices conduct the initial interviews of applicants and then allow LC to make the final decisions. He very much seeks to "influence the future of the newly democratized Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union...[through] educating librarians about how to improve their libraries and assist the policymakers of their countries..[in order to] provide a strong foundation for democracy".[3] Soros pledged $206 million USD to endow the Central European University.[4] Barbara Ford, president of the American Library Association, compared Soros to Andrew Carnegie in honor of his philanthropy directed toward libraries.[3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Soros on Soros John Wiley, ISBN 978-0-471-11977-7
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hoduski-Abbott, Bernadine E., Lobbying for Libraries and the Public's Access to Government Information, Lanham: Scarecrow, 2003. p. 75
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hoduski-Abbott, Bernadine E., Lobbying for Libraries and the Public's Access to Government Information, Lanham: Scarecrow, 2003. p. 76
  4. ↑ Soros Pledges $206 Million to Hungarian University", Chronicle of Philanthropy, July 2005, Vol. 17 Issue 19, p. 20

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