Helen Keller International Kicks
Off 90th Anniversary Celebration
in Paris
New York, June 6, 2005 – Helen
Keller International (HKI) kicked
off its 90th anniversary celebration
in Paris, the city where the organization
was founded in 1915. Sir
John Holmes, British Ambassador
to France, and his wife hosted
the celebration at their residence. Patrons
of the event included Mr. Xavier
Darcos, the Minister Delegate for
Cooperation, Development and French-speaking
Nations, and His Royal Highness
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York,
who was an honored guest. Dr.
Christophe Longuet of MSD Interpharma
and Mr. François Vaucheret,
President of Alcon France Laboratories,
were also in attendance, joining
representatives from 12 countries
where HKI has programs.
Dr. Regina Moench-Pfanner, HKI
Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pacific,
described HKI’s tsunami disaster
relief efforts in Indonesia, where
the agency is currently assisting
almost 2 million people through
the provision of nutritional supplements
and eyeglasses. President
and CEO Kathy Spahn stated, “Our
future is clear. We must
bring our programs to the many
millions we have not yet reached. Those
who are still not being given a
chance for some very basic things
that we take for granted – our
sight, our daily meals and our
health.” Prince Andrew
concluded the evening with a call
to action, speaking out about the
problems of blindness and the need
for funds to overcome them.
Among the oldest international
nonprofit organizations devoted
to combating preventable blindness
and malnutrition, HKI traces its
roots to May 7, 1915, when a German
U-boat sank the British ocean liner Lusitania off
the coast of Ireland. Survivor
George Kessler vowed to aid veterans
blinded during World War I and
formally organized the British,
French, Belgian Permanent Blind
Relief War Fund in Paris on November
11th of the same year. Helen
Keller was asked to join the board
in 1919, when the American branch
of the organization was incorporated
in New York State.
Helen Keller said of the Fund’s
activities, “My heart glows
every time I think of what you
are doing for the blinded soldiers. May
our work grow until every man who
has given his sight for his country
will feel the comforting warmth
of a friendly hand guiding him
through a dark strange world.” Helen
Keller eventually traveled to 35
countries as an ambassador for
the organization, which adopted
the name Helen Keller International
in 1977 to honor her legacy. From
a small but ambitious beginning,
HKI has grown to serve millions
of people in 25 countries throughout
Africa, the Americas and Asia.
 
From left to right:
Howard Cohn, Lady Holmes, Lord
Holmes and His Royal Highness Duke
of York; Ines de Fressange, rugby
winner and Bernard Laporte
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