Dear friends,

Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation is proud to establish this new “Hestia” Onassis International Prize in Immigrant Integration and Human Development in the framework of the Civil Society Days (CSD) of the 3rd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).

In 1922, a 16-year-old boy arrived in Greece as a refugee from the ravaged city of Smyrna in Asia Minor. A few months later, he emigrated to Argentina. He was to become one of the world’s most successful shipping magnates, a legendary figure, not only in financial circles but also in the eyes of ordinary people.

In his will, Aristotle Onassis established an independent foundation and bequeathed it half his fortune wishing to leave forever a legacy to help the development in our global society in culture, education, health, the environment.

Migration, and its potential to lead to development, is one of the most critical issues our world faces today. Good migration policies will lead to social achievements in all sectors the Foundation supports and works for.

The creation of this new Onassis International Prize for initiatives driving the world towards the direction of immigrants’ integration and the development in their host countries is our small contribution to this demanding effort.

With our grateful thanks to our friends, the GFMD and all people who have worked so hard to make this Prize true.

Anthony S. Papadimitriou
President

Alexander S. Onassis
Public Benefit Foundation

The Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, in view of its active involvement with the organization of the Civil Society Days of the 3rd Global Forum on Migration and Development 2009, in Greece and in accordance with the goals set forth by its founder, Aristotle Onassis, for the awarding of International Prizes, has decided to launch

the “Hestia” Onassis International Prize in Immigrant Integration and Human Development.

 The deadline for submission of applications for the "Hestia" Onassis International Prize has expired on Tuesday, October 27 at 12 noon.

The Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, during the closing ceremony of the Civil Society Days Forum 2009, bestows the “Hestia” Onassis International Prize in Immigrant Integration and Human Development on the Humanitarian Organization “Médecins du Monde-Greece” for its initiative “Open Polyclinic”, tonight at 7 pm at the Astir Palace Hotel in Vouliagmeni. The prize will be awarded by the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Decentralization and Electronic Governance, Mrs. Theodora Tzakri.

The ongoing programme “Open Polyclinic” offers free medical and pharmaceutical care, as well as psychosocial support to groups of immigrants with limited or no access at all to the National Health System and social services. The “Médecins du Monde-Greece” workforce consists of volunteer specialized doctors, nurses, social workers and psychologists, Greek and immigrants, with the help of which, during the last 12 years, more than 150.000 immigrant patients from Iraq, Bangladesh, Africa, Iran, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine, and Albania have received medical care in the Polyclinics of Athens, Thessaloniki and Chania in Crete.

The “Hestia” Prize, which is accompanied by a monetary award of €50,000, is established, this year, by the Onassis Foundation, in view of rewarding a remarkable social and pioneering initiative of immigrant integration and human development. With the Foundation’s commitment, the prize will be also awarded at the two following organizations of the Civil Society Days Forum, which will take place in Mexico in 2010, and in Madrid in 2011.

On the occasion of the awarding of the Prize to “Médecins du Monde-Greece”, Mr. Anthony Papadimitriou, President of the Board of Directors of the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, made the following statement: “We are pleased that this year’s prize is awarded to an organization of international repute, as well as proud that with the “Hestia” Prize we will be able to contribute to the further enhancement of its valuable work.”