The work of the Open Society Foundations is infinitely complex. I have been a part of the Open Society family since 1996, when the foundation in South Africa began to support work I was developing with then Minister of Justice Dullah Omar, but I only began to appreciate the breadth and depth of the Foundations when I was appointed to my present post in December of last year. Since then, I have searched for ways to convey in the simplest terms that fascinating complexity. I’ve wanted to capture in words and images the emotions as well as the facts, the passions as well as the strategies, and the ethics as well as the histories that make the Open Society enterprise so impressive. But how?
One answer is film. The gifted director, Jesse Dylan, has pieced together fragments taken from dozens of interviews to create a brief, powerful introduction to the Open Society Foundations. Even those who have worked with the Foundations for many years will likely find something new here, as well as reminders of much that is familiar. Recently, when I showed the film to members of the board of our U.S. Programs, a long-time member commented that he hadn’t known almost any of what he saw in the film. Perhaps you will have a similar reaction. Or perhaps you will see friends and colleagues describing ambitions that have compelled you, too. However familiar or new you find it, I hope the film captures something of what has brought you into this family, too: what has led you to work toward the ideal of an open society in your own community, and to get engaged.
119 Comments
There was a great deal I didn't know about OSF, and learned from this video. The best part was seeing the human effort, "meeting" the people whose thoughts and works have advanced human rights and justice worldwide.
The support for visual storytellers at the Foundations, via grants to documentary filmmakers and photographic fellows has always been integral to reaching millions more people with thought-provoking ideas about the meaning of open society and democracy. The forums held at the OSF have informed and guided us in our documentary storytelling efforts.
Well done. Promote more unity for a common cause- to defend human rights defenders, prevent abuse and violation of human rights across the world.
An upbeat presentation that goes by too quickly. This seems to be the exceptional good use of great wealth.
I am grateful to Open Society and Professor Soros for this foundation and the work of bringing human rights awareness and the fight for peace as doable. Awareness is the first step in any lesson. Thank you for this exposure.
For analysts and critics, you must remember that that spirit exists in you and has nothing to do with the idea that we must love each other and take care of each other. If you are doing that, then good; now look for ways to improve.
It is not possible to disagree with much of what Mr Soros finances, yet he he is the single biggest financier of the drug legalisation movement, in the world.
He has spent millions trying to normalise all the illegal drugs. It is fair to say the movement could hardly prosper without his help.
I have heard those financed by him (The US Drug Policy Alliance and others) argue for the legalisation for recreational use of any and every possible substance that humans might want to take "recreationally".
Given the immense personal & social harm from alcohol & tobacco, I am not clear how legalisation and normalisation of all other possible substances would improve the human condition. My view is that would lead to further enslavement of the individual, damage the family and the societies where it takes place-just as alcohol addiction does.
In fact it does that already.. Normalisation of use in the developed world, encouraged by the legalisation movement that Mr Soros finances and influences, has led to an increase in use and addiction in the undeveloped world, in places where there is no social safety net to catch those who fall victim to addiction.
How does Mr Soros respond? How does he justify this work? Could he have got this issue wrong? Could he not do much more good with the millions of dollars he has spent on this subject?
If we fail to confront the disparities created by the sequestration of the common-weal human resources of the planet by private corporate interests this will remain no more than mom and apple-pie nice sentiments. Human rights must be inclusively confrontational with this exclusionary paradigm. They are mutually exclusive world-views, the one giving primacy through the instrument of financial leverage of legal process to corporate personality, the other giving the primacy to the primates, us. It grows late for cosmetic pabulums.
Congratulations on capturing and projecting the spirit of such a diverse institution in this informative and emotional form.
An open society to me means one worldwide democracy built on the idea of freedom with majority rule and a justice system that protects the rights of the minorities. Read To Make a Perfect World and my other works The Radio Philosopher and A Happy Life and the Keys to Heaven.
Great Job! Thank you so much!
To a great extent, the U.S. is an open society. Our problem is that most people can't be bothered to look.
Since my first entrance into what was then the former Soviet Union in 1989 I have watched the development of the Soro's foundation and its movement from a educational and financially supportive effort for peoples seeking to better themselves world wide to a strong movement in support of improved global human rights. George Soro's has used his huge resources to the benefit of all mankind. Thank you and continue the discussions.
How does an open society deal with say the toxic waste and the lack of transparency of the Atomic Era, broken promises, broken people and polluted waters now flow where it once clean. The industry creating this mess has a lip lock on the media, politicians and decision makers.Thank you for your time.
This is sooooo INSPIRING!
If OSI had existed when I first came to NYC in 1967 my life would have been vastly different. Now that I am recently retired I can finally attend seminars at OSI and hear views I won't be getting from the 'news' networks. I contacted Anne-Marie Mackay thanking her and the staff for making this really beautiful film. As I mentioned to her, after watching it, I only wanted to see more. I have worked in civil rights in Ga. Lived on an Indian Reservation. Worked with the Palestinians. I wish there was something I could do at OSI in NYC to continue this work on a larger scale. Just don't know the right person to contact.
We would like to offer the free use of dotSUB technology to enable this powerful, clear explanation of Open Society to be available in scores of languages, so millions of people globally who are not proficient in English can truly comprehend the message and what OSI is doing.
Please get in touch with me so we can quickly figure out how best to make it happen. What OSI is doing is totally global, and should be available in the language of the people it is directly impacting - using your large and engaged following.
Michael Smolens, Founder & Chairman, dotSUB
michael@dotsub.com
The Open Society gathers people who have the 'tools' to build respect, equal justice, fairness. As Rev. J. Dowdy of Fayette County, Tennessee said in 1963 when recruiting college students to help people who had lost their homes because they registered to vote and most of America and the world thought it would take generations before African-Americans could vote: "Put your body where your mouth is." The Open Society helps us do that around the world.
This video reflects the passion, integrity and attitude that I absorbed during my own Open Society Fellowship, all staked boldly to Mr. Soros's assertion that "reality is complex." Obvious and simple as that notion is, it is rarely an embraced notion within modern foundations, let alone governments and NGOs. My own experience with OSI enabled me to affect change and indeed to alter the course and tenor of my own work in ways that I could not have anticipated, indeed did not even address in my original proposal. In my experience and as I've observed, OSI's work is both focused and fluid, which is a hard trick to pull off. By its nature it invites the sort of dialogue rapidly evaporating from all areas of public life: politics, education, and what is left of journalism and arts. Indeed, even the commentary on this site has embraced debate.
Many thanks for promoting education, reducing illiteracy rate in the world.
Thanks to Open Society. We are gratefull to you. We have benefited from your Youth & Education programm, precisely in field of debate. we really need an Open Society branc for central Africa.
For the Cameroon Debate Association
www;cameroondebate.org
www.cameroondebate;blogspot.com
Incredible scope. Faces seemingly insurmountable problems with vision, tenacity and grit. I'm so glad we have someone like George Soros to help address the many wrongs to the oppressed and truly make a difference. Thank you, George.
The highest point of the understanding of our unterstanding translated to the guidelines to how a society should be. Congratulations mr. Soros and all the Open Society associates. I realy thing you will be marked in the history books as the pioneers to bringing the principle of falseability and other Popper's ideas to the core spirit of the government powers around the globe.
Great ! Thank you George for all you teached us / me in particular during my time in the Boars of OSI. I liked you also very much President ! The fundamental lesson is in defending Human Rights:NEVER GIVE UP. Good luck for a wonderful future! Cornelio
THANK YOU Open Society Foundation for being both a beacon and a launching pad.
Yes, George Soro's Open Society Foundation is doing the world a great deal of good.But much remains to be done.
How can we help?
I have not had the privilege of watching the video but have read the inspiring words of the Chris. I thank God that the foundation is creating so a tremendous impact worldwide. As for me, I came in contact with the foundation through a grant given by the West African branch, OSIWA to an organization I was working for in 2004 and in 2010 another grant from the Justice wing OSJI in Sierra Leone. Since then I have been inspired to join the foundation by undertaking an initiative to empower my community people through Free Legal aid services. In Sierra Leone like most African countries there is much to be done for the people to have privilege of enjoying the gifts of an open society. May God continue to guard, guide and inspire all who are engage in this worthy course. God bless Soros and all of us.
I must be very slow on the uptake today. I admire this man and this cause but I seem to be hearing a lot of talk about hope being dead. Am I missing something? People are talking as if "hope" is the "consummation" of an idea. My dear friends, "hope"is merely the "conception" on an idea. The very moment someone pulls an engaging idea from the ether, it becomes "hope". It may NEVER become an actualized event or entity. But so long as it is a communicable idea, it may have no other property worthy of salutation, but "hope" and its corollary are born with that idea. The Open Society reminds me of the Beloved Community Dr. King spoke frequently about. There is no road map nor architectural design for either of them, but the moment you hear of them, "hope springs eternal". I think the trick for most of us is create the capacity to do what we in the theater world call, "a willing suspension of disbelief." This is what audiences do when they attend a "Mary Poppins" play and allow themselves to be transported and transformed. This is the domain of hope; that space in the universe that is neither here nor there - it is not real and it is not unreal. it is just possible. Hope defeats doubt, debility and stagnation. it feeds promise, purpose and possibility. The very moment we project ourselves to the end of a vibrant idea and determine, with deep chagrin and regret, that at no time can we envision that beautiful thing coming into reality, we endow it with dread and squander the very essence of "hope". Dr. Soros, A perfect world CAN exist! I know it can, I have seen it. I am seeing it even now through my tears of euphoric wonder as I write this note to you. And therein lies the tale of "HOPE". It is the thing that drives us when all seems lost. And this is why the work you are doing is so phenomenally important. Let's continue to elevate the hope by keeping it out of the hands of reality.
Encouraging, giving us strenths to continue. I am CEU alumni and thanks for all. It gives sense to life.
George,
Great work! A free and just world is a worthy ideal. I say ideal because different parts of the world are at different levels of openness - the human rights approach is a paradigm shift because it places the widest spectrum of persons (especially marginalized, disability and indigent) at the heart of the environment they operate be it in governance, health, education, employment, housing etc sectors. We must recognize also as we advance in the human rights era that there be responsibility, accountability and transparency in the exercise of rights and not get caught up in absolutism.
This is a great way to engage the world to find and highlight the voices that are marginalized and forgotten the discrete majority - to empower them to realize their own rights that they are entitled to as members of the humanity that we all share - find their own sustainable solutions and remove the barriers that may be difficult to change but are change-able.
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
-- Anais Nin
"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into a flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light."
-- Albert Schweitzer
Dear Kanyi Gikonyo: Of all the comments posted yours touched me the most. Your quote from Dr. Schweitzer is very close to something I wrote one of the producers of this film last week. Something that is not touched on is how did George Soros become this benevolent man? Please, if you can find the book, read his father's story, MASQUERADE or MASKERADO-Dancing Around Death In Nazi Hungary. One is paperback, the other hardback. His father, Tivadar Soros, tells the story of the family's year (1944-1945) of fighting to survive and not be sent to a concentration camp. His father's Christian friends got him new identities for his wife, and two sons, Paul and George. If you read this book you will see that the apple does not fall far from the tree as we say in the US. His father was a magnificent man and acted heroically under the worst possible circumstances. Had he not done what he did in 1944, there would not have been a George Soros or OSI. His candle still burns bright, oh so many years later! Thank you for your moving comment.
Firstly, let me express my profound admiration to Professor Soros and the gratitude of hundreds of million people around the world for his creation and valuable support to the Foundations.
I address this comment more specifically to Professor Christopher Stone.
We, Brazilians, are closely following the Sessions of our STF (our Supreme Court) and celebrating the dense votes of the Ministers, that are renewing and making explicit our Penal Law, creating jurisprudence that sure will reduce, in most cases eliminate, further tentative of crimes against society, especially the “White Collar” and Government’s. Maybe this trial can be of interest to you and be divulged if you so believe appropriate.
Furthermore, and very important, you could bring to our Country your experience in prisons in the extraordinary fruitful way you acted and performed with other Lawyers in the States.
Brazil has the third or fourth largest number of imprisoned population and the ones in “provisional prisons” is outrageous: 191,949, against the condemned ones, 254,738 in a total of about 400,000, according with statistics of our National Council of Justice.
Of course our governments have not sufficient resources to build adequate prisons and enough trained staff to properly manage them. Although the State of Sao Paulo is far ahead of the other States on that, still in Sao Paulo there are hundreds of “Provisional Prisons” where the prison population is maintained at inhuman conditions.
I believe that the OAB (Bar Association of Brazil) and other institutions could gladly accept a similar program to the one of yours to help on this issue.
Perhaps the Foundations could as well create Seminars presenting the best (I know that not all excels) experiences in the field and promote private-governmental joint-ventures or interest entrepreneurs in construction and management of prisons in concessions of the Federal and States governments.
Respectfully and with gratitude for your work and programs,
Flavio.
An An Open Society is, necessarily, a just and humane society. An unjust and inhuman society, with a lot of dirt to hide, cannot necessarily be open. My notion is, therefore, that the Open Society Foundation is an organization in search of an efficient path to a freedom-bound just and human society. The Igbo Society of the Lower Nigeria, from where I come, used to be such a society; hyper-democratic, republican and egalitarian as foreign anthropologists testify. But they had serious problem convincing British imperialists that the 'ERIMA' organic community system on the ground was superior to anything Europe ever thought about. Perhaps Prof Soros and the Open Society Foundation can take a look at such 'exotic' social modesl now that the alternatives on the table are all troubled. To my mind the world must as quickly as possible come up with a naturalistic and viable social model or?
Chidi
Really is a very important social work that Dr. G. Soros is doing. For that reason I beg you if Open Society may take care about a the Yezidi Community. They support many damages for their Religion the Kurds' Ancient Religion, pogroms and attacks 're a constant for them. I know that there're many Religious and Ethnics Communities but if could do something for them it'd be an important contribution for a better world taht will grow in armony.
The Open Society Foundation is (OSF) really a life saver. OSF brought hope to victims of sexual violence(mostly children) in Liberia, West Africa, at a time when funds to prosecute sexual violence in a victim-centered manner ran out and all hope for psychosocial and legal services to victims through the Sexual Gender Based Violence Crimes Unit of the Ministry of Justice seemed bleak.OSF contributed funds to continue the prosecution of perpetrators of sexual violence and provide some medical and psychosocial services to victims/survivors. Thank you Mr Soros for all of your contributions to humanity.The people of Liberia are grateful to you and all the wonderful people at OSF who are helping to make the world a better place to live and giving hope to victims of sexual violence a reason to move on.
I applaud your efforts on all of your noble endeavors. Where are our opportunities to dialogue on the best means of achieving the end that we both seek of a just and open society ?
I studied Popper's work while researching for my Ph.D. (sustainable development) and came across Mr. Soros' work with which I immediately identified myself and commend him for it. Please keep it up!
Thankyou
Indeed inspirational.The only reminder if i am permitted to recommend to this enlightened foundation is that unlike eastern-Europe today,We in Africa (namely Ethiopia and the Horn)are still under a time-warp of total `State`domination even after the overthrow of marxism-lenninism over 20yrs.ago.The State apparatus is the same,only thier faces have changed and use the same mechanism on our hapless population.So,this is to remind,not to forget us in any agenda of note to fulfil the thirst for good-governance my people deserve.Thankyou again.
I applaud the work, but realize much needs to be done here in the US if humanity is to survive the 21st century.
Suggestion: Don't just talk to us or at us about Open Society.
Take a leaf from the Presidential Election and Enlist US.
Ask for contributed money because humans remember their participating and sharing far better.
Mr. Soros, sir, invite everyone to be a part of the good work. Understand that sending $5 is a vote by the donor for the recipient Open Society and its work.
TO THE READERS: Send what you can.
TO THE OPEN SOCIETY: Spend it well in seeking many more of us to make our contributions and feel as if it was us, too.
Excellent work done by Open Society in every corner of the Globe. Thanks !!!
thank you for this video.
it makes me fell that my work is usefull, indeed.
Thank you Chris. Welcome as new OSI President. George : the presentation is GREAT: congratulations. I am so grateful for all what I learned from you in my years as a member of the OSI Board. The most important point I retained is: in Human Rights matters, never give up. Good luck for the future! Cornelio Sommaruga
Thanks George for the excellent work. The bottomline is what are the real universal values
Great ideas, you just need to help facilitate its implication in our society as well. Hope you are taking note and responding to every comment, if only you could, then you must have accomplish even greater achievements.
This is excellent! The world being made abetter place to live in...My views on what the Open Society means to me is "The inner urge of persons and institutions to ensure a commonwealth of global dignity of humanity" Thanks.
I second the idea of Nobel peace Price for George Soros.
Gorge and the Open Society are doing incredible work for the good of humanity. The concept of promoting critical thinking, human rights and freedom of speech in todays world which is full of opression and inequalities is noble.
Great video, vission and insight.
Fawzia Adam,
Afin de respecter l’esprit de société ouverte, j’écrirais mon commentaire en Français. Ce bref documentaire apporte un brin de lumière sur la complexité de la réalité des choses apparemment simples, mais fondamentalement compliquées. 1+1 n’est pas forcément égal à 2, mais nous devrons travailler à ce que la majorité soit d’accord avec ça, sans oublier la minorité, tel est le défis qui se pose dans la construction des sociétés ouvertes. Merci pour cette aventure si passionnante !
This is exactly where I would like to be: among people who are willing to and who believe in investing on issues not necessarily easily solvable.
Dear all ;
If I would have to make a comment I would say that the main concern should be focus on the relationship between me and you. That is very simple our main problem or the main issue but not easy to solve due two main factors :
1. internatly, inside us, there are a lot of conflits between the facts / reality and the mind projections which provoke several unbalance behaviors or wrong action motivations. That is comunn to everybody around the planet or the world.
2. Externatly, from a society point of vue, there are enormous quantities of boundaries or walls ( religions ; nationalities , races , money , sectors , etc ) which are provoking a lot of entropies between the relationships.
Again, the way to find out a solution will result of our way to communicate. The solution is about relationship between me and you. We need to find a way inside us. We need to put questionsand to have an awareness about our condition, nowadays.
OSF is an Institution of its kind in the world at the moment that gives a true voice of the human reality and the true color of the human nature, Mr.George Soros gives that hope to the world to see them selves in the mirror, either it is a state man or ordinary man, pour or rich, black or white, Christian or Muslim or Jews so they can decide to be a good man or not, and to provide the justice and freedom or some kind of ideology with violence, thank you Mr.George Soros and OSF and all the man and women in the world ho fights for goodness.
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