"Jewish Nobel" Laureate Anish Kapoor Pledges $1m Genesis Prize to Refugee Causes - Seite 2

Anish Kapoor said: "Like many Jews, I do not have to go far back in my family history to find people who were refugees. Directing Genesis Prize funds to this cause is a way of helping people who, like my forebears not too long before them, are fleeing persecution.

"In recent months, awareness of the plight faced by tens of millions of refugees and displaced persons worldwide has fallen significantly while the refugee crisis continues unabated. I believe in a world of compassion, and am fortunate to be able to work with The Genesis Prize Foundation and the terrific NGOs receiving our grants to bring more compassion into the world."  

Michael Fridman, co-founder of The Genesis Prize Foundation, said: "I believe it is a moral obligation of every Jew to do whatever he or she can to help refugees, displaced people, and those seeking asylum. There was a time not too long ago when the world turned its back on Jewish refugees, with calamitous results. We, Jews, should not allow history to repeat itself when it comes to other persecuted peoples and religious and ethnic minorities. Otherwise, we have learned nothing from history." In addition to co-founding The Genesis Prize Foundation, Fridman is a major contributor to many other Jewish and Israel-focused philanthropic initiatives, including the recently announced renovation of the Israeli Lounge at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband, himself a son of Jewish refugees, said: "Grants like the one from The Genesis Prize Foundation are vital to supporting our work as we grapple with the largest displacement crisis since the Second World War, affecting a staggering 65 million people.

"We are grateful to The Genesis Prize Foundation, which is leading the way in raising awareness of the refugee issue in the Jewish community. It is more important than ever for people to help those who have been forced to flee their homes. With these funds, the IRC will have the ability to provide much-needed resources and support to displaced people in areas across Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia."