Steven Spielberg, renowned movie director and founder of USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education, will honor William Clay Ford, Jr. at the organization’s annual gala in September.
Spielberg will present Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, with the Ambassador for Humanity Award. Ford will be recognized for his leadership and corporate citizenry around education and community. The proceeds raised at the gala will remain in the region, and they will be used for educational programs in secondary schools.
The September gala will be attended by leaders from the local community and from across the nation. It will offer the opportunity to highlight the Institute’s global work in making 53,000 audio-visual interviews with survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides as part of the IWitness program.
“Working with Bill Ford and Ford Motor Company to further explore ways to share the work of the Institute with the people of Michigan is a wonderful opportunity. Reaching people when they’re young is the key to changing the world with testimony,” said Steven Spielberg, famous movie maker and founder of USC Shoah Foundation. The commitment of Bill Ford and Ford Motor Company to support new approaches to learning, to provide scholarships, and to help deserving students attain higher education, makes him a great ambassador, and I am proud to recognize him for his efforts.”
The gala will also shine a light on the emerging partnership between the Ford Motor Company and the USC Shoah Foundation. The Foundation plans to expand its IWitness educational platform in the Detroit area, allowing students to experience the stories of genocide survivors.
Right now, 100 educators in Michigan and 6,500 educators globally use IWitness to help their students better understand the Holocaust.
“I am so pleased that USC Shoah Foundation will be joining forces with Ford Motor Company and the local Detroit community to explore new ways to utilize IWitness as an educational tool, and endeavor to reach a growing number of educators and students across the Detroit region,” said USC Shoah Foundation Executive Director Stephen D. Smith.