February update from Ken Hersh, President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center

Dear John,

It’s hard to believe that the George W. Bush Presidential Center is celebrating 10 years in Dallas! Your generous support over the past decade has enabled the success in promoting President and Mrs. Bush’s values of freedom, opportunity, accountability, and compassion to our Nation and the world.
The Bush Center has a packed year ahead.

On March 2, we’re excited to unveil our special exhibit, Freedom Matters <[link removed]>, a one-of-a-kind exhibition featuring a collection of historical documents and artifacts, running through the end of the year. Rare versions of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Emancipation Proclamation will be on display, along with a 14th century copy of the Magna Carta.

The special exhibit will encourage museum visitors to appreciate the pursuit of freedom throughout history, how the work of ordinary and extraordinary people has impacted freedom for millions of individuals, and what we all can do in our everyday lives to advocate for liberty and a free society. The exhibit was made possible through the generosity of the Harlan Crow Library and David M. Rubenstein.
This spring, we’re also updating a portion of the Bush Museum’s permanent exhibit and adding a new scenario to the interactive Decision Points Theater. Please consider celebrating our 10th anniversary by returning this summer for a visit.

In April, at our annual Forum on Leadership <[link removed]>, we’ll present the George W. Bush Medal for Distinguished Leadership to former Botswanan President Festus Mogae for his exemplary work in the fight to end AIDS in Africa. We’ll also honor Florencia Velasco Fortner, Chief Executive Officer of The Concilio, a nonprofit promoting Latino equity, with the George W. Bush Institute Trailblazer Citation. Emily Hanford, Senior Producer and Correspondent for American Public Media, will receive the George W. Bush Citation.

The Bush Institute began the year with the release of our 2023 policy briefs <[link removed]> for members of Congress and state and federal policymakers. They include recommendations and insights on issues including fixing our broken immigration system, combatting kleptocracy and disinformation, and supporting democracy, opportunity, health, and development around the world, particularly in places like Ukraine, Afghanistan, and sub-Saharan Africa. Our recommendations have been in front of policymakers at the highest level, indicating the importance of our thought leadership on the national dialogue.

Our program year kicks off next week with a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved over 25 million lives. Featuring President and Mrs. Bush, former Tanzanian President Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, and former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the Feb. 24 event in Washington, D.C., can be livestreamed <[link removed]>. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will offer recorded remarks. Bush Institute Executive Director David J. Kramer and Bill Gates will discuss PEPFAR’s impact and how it benefits both partner countries and U.S. foreign policy. This event will be another example of our convening power to advance key priorities.

I’m also proud of some important milestones at the Bush Institute this year. We have an incredibly powerful set of programs through which we put our values into action.

Through Check-In <[link removed]>, a tool created by the Bush Institute-led Veteran Wellness Alliance, we have been able to connect over 1,000 veterans and military families to high-quality, compassionate mental and brain health care. In addition, Cohort 5 of the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program <[link removed]>, designed to increase the impact and develop the skills of those who serve our Nation’s veterans, kicks off in July.

We’re excited to bring both current and past cohorts of the Veteran Leadership Program back to the Bush Center in August for a reunion, and all eight cohorts of the Presidential Leadership Scholars will meet here in October. We can’t wait to hear about their latest accomplishments!

The George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative has released a new paper in its Blueprint for Opportunity series, “Immigrants and Opportunity in America’s Cities,” that examines what makes immigrants thrive in specific places. It ranks U.S. metro areas where immigrants do best <[link removed]>, both upon arrival and over the longer term.

At the same time, we continue to work on women’s advancement and explore our domestic opportunity agenda and where the intersections lie between the workforce and education.

Finally, I’m pleased to share that Rachel Mabry <[link removed]> is our new Vice President of Development. It’s also an honor to welcome some new members to the Bush Institute: Mary Moore Hamrick <[link removed]> is the new Don Evans Family Managing Director of Domestic Policy, Igor Khrestin <[link removed]> has joined us as the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy, and Jonathan Tepperman <[link removed]> becomes Editor-in-Chief of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas From the Bush Institute <[link removed]> and a Senior Fellow.

The achievements of the past decade wouldn’t have been possible without your help. Thank you for all your support of our critically important work to ensure opportunity for all, strengthen democracy, and advance free societies. I am excited about the coming year and look forward to seeing you around the Bush Center.

Sincerely,

Ken Hersh
President and CEO, George W. Bush Presidential Center



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