The 2009 Raymond Georis Prize for Innovative Philanthropy was awarded to Ms Güler Sabanci, President of the Sabanci Foundation. The award was made in the presence of over 600 members of the European Foundation Community.

The 2009 Raymond Georis Prize for Innovative Philanthropy was presented at the 20th Annual General Assembly of the European Foundation Centre. The Prize was launched five years ago by the Network of European Foundations’ Mercator Fund, and aims to reward innovative high-impact European initiatives that illustrate European leadership on global and social issues.

“Ms. Sabanci has personally taken a front-seat in all her development work, insisting on effective strategies that result in marked and sustainable change,” said Mr. Raymond Georis, the Prize’s namesake and a member of the Selection Committee, which was chaired by Mr. Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union and President of the Madariaga European Foundation. The Selection Committee also comprised Mr. Gerry Salole, Chief Executive of the European Foundation Centre, and Ms. Norine MacDonald QC, President of the Mercator Fund.

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Projects supported by the Mercator Fund :

Front Line Protection of Human Rights Defenders Front Line is the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. Front Line was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line aims to address some of the needs identified by defenders themselves, including protection, networking, training and access to international bodies that can take action on their behalf. More... Alliance Magazine Alliance is the world’s leading magazine on philanthropy and social investment. Published by Alliance Publishing Trust, Alliance provides news and analysis of what’s happening in the philanthropy and social investment sectors across the world, and a forum for exchange of ideas and experiences among practitioners. Alliance is for all those who want to keep up to date with developments and new thinking in this field. More... Rabbis and Imams for peace The Mercator Fund has supported the World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace, a project launched by the Geneva-based Hommes de Parole Foundation. This initiative stems from the ascertainment that many conflicts throughout the world are being "justified" by religion. Religious leaders, thus, more than ever before, must commit themselves to peace. More... ICOS International Council on Security and Development One of the Mercator Fund’s most extensive projects, ICOS is an international policy think tank working to combine grassroots research and policy innovation at the intersections of security, development, counter-narcotics and public health issues. This work is organised into three programmes: Global Security, Public Security and Public Health as it relates to problematic drug use. Within these three programmes, the Mercator Fund supports individual projects, including ICOS Afghanistan, the Rio Centre of Excellence on Public Security , and the Rome Consensus on Humanitarian Drug Policy. More...

The Raymond Georis Prize for innovative philanthropy in Europe The Raymond Georis Prize for Innovative Philanthropy in Europe was established by The Mercator Fund to reward an individual, organisation, foundation or project which has conceived and implemented an outstanding and innovative philanthropic programme in Europe. It is anticipated that the project will have a high impact result and will express a strong belief in the role of Europe and European values in philanthropy. The Prize Ceremony is to take place every year at the European Foundation Centre’s General Assembly. About Raymond Georis... EFC gender interest group survey The Mercator Fund provides support for a survey carried out by the European Foundation Centre’s Gender Interest Group. This group provides a platform for debate, information sharing, exchange of good practice and collaboration to independent foundations and corporate funders active in the field of gender. Research project: Philanthropy in Europe: a rich past, a promising future By funding research into the history of European philanthropy for the book Philanthropy in Europe: a rich past, a promising future (edited by Norine MacDonald QC and Luc Tayart de Borms), the Mercator Fund has helped to document the tradition, history and diverse roles of philanthropy in Europe. More...