2016 Spirit of Jan Karski Award
On Nov 1, 2016, the Jan Karski Educational Foundation presented The Spirit of Jan Karski Award to Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. Kristof's coverage of Tiananmen Square protests and the Darfur genocide, as well as his reports on human trafficking and war crimes, have made him an influential voice drawing public attention to human rights violations and humanitarian crises worldwide.
In his acceptance speech “Imagine Karski in the 21st Century: What Should We Fight for Today?” (follow the link below), Kristof spoke about Jan Karski, an eyewitness to Nazi atrocities who risked his life to bring his firsthand report of the Holocaust to the attention of Western leaders.
Program:
- Trailer of the documentary “Karski & The Lords of Humanity” by Emmy Award winner Sławomir Grünberg
- Performance by NYC-based Polish jazz guitarist Rafal Sarnecki and his trio
- Opening remarks by William Milberg, Dean of The New School for Social Research
- Award Introduction by Jeffrey Goldfarb, Michael E. Gellert Professor of Sociology and editor-in-chief of the Public Seminar, The New School
- 2016 Spirit of Jan Karski Awardee Nicholas Kristof talks on the topic “Imagine Karski in the 21st Century: What Should We Fight for Today?”
- Closing remarks by Andrzej Rojek, Chairman, Board of Directors, Jan Karski Educational Foundation
The award is granted annually by the Jan Karski Educational Foundation, to distinguished individuals who have demonstrated the principles represented by Jan Karski through their actions. The past recipients include: John McCain, US Senator; Samantha Power, the US Ambassador to the United Nations; and Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York.
Also:
Read JKEF's exclusive interview with Kristof.
Read JKEF's report about the event.
Read the transcript of Nicholas Kristof's acceptance speech: nicholas-kristof-spirit-of-jan-karski-award-acceptance-speech-a6.pdf
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The event was organized by the Jan Karski Educational Foundation in collaboration with the New School for Social Research and was made possible thanks to the generous support of the following sponsors: the Polish Army Veterans Association of America, Inglot Cosmetics, Charter Oak, and the Polish Cultural Institute in New York.
