Honouring Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn
Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn is the second only awardee of the Steven Krulis Champion of Humanity Award.
Formerly the Aegis Award, Ambassador Quinn was presented with this prestigious international Award by the Aegis Trust in ceremonies in Rwanda and the UK during late February and early March 2019.
The Steven Krulis Champion of Humanity Distinguished Service Award recognises those who have contributed significantly to the prevention of genocide and to promoting values of humanity.
The Award recognises Ambassador Quinn’s service over several decades in confronting and countering genocide, especially in relation to the people of Cambodia, and thereby championing values of humanity globally.
He is one of the few people to have successfully eradicated a genocide ideology. He used an innovative method he observed whilst in Vietnam that had been successful in countering insurgents - the use of roads to allow the flow of new agricultural technology, education and other services to local communities.
The Award was presented at a ceremony at the House of Lords, hosted by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 5th March 2019.
Separate events highlighting Ambassador Quinn’s achievements were held in Rwanda and at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Nottinghamshire, England.
Rwanda
Wednesday February 27th: very special thanks to the US Ambassador to Rwanda, Peter Vrooman, and his partner Johnette for hosting a lunch in Ambassador Quinn's honour. And thanks also to the British High Commissioner to Rwanda, Jo Lomas, and to the other guests who joined us.
February 28th: event held at the Kigali International Conference Centre, with guest of honour Minister of Agriculture, Dr Gerardine Mukeshimana.
Dr James Smith, Aegis Trust CEO and Co-Founder, paid tribute to Steven Krulis, in whose name and memory the Award was made.
"Steven owed his survival in large part to his non-Jewish step-father, who risked his own life to smuggle items into the camps where the young Steven was being incarcerated by the Nazis.
"Steven Krulis lived a life without revenge, promoting humanity - his values are embodied in the Award that we are proud bears his name."
Below: short video of the Kigali ceremony.
The Award in Kigali was presented by Minister Gerardine Mukeshimana, a survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Amb. Quinn responded:
"This Award is more meaningful to receive it from someone who was so deeply affected by the genocide in Rwanda, and my heart goes out to you and all the victims.
"Being the Steven Krulis Award, we are reminded of the Holocaust; having you here, reminding us of the Genocide against the Tutsi; and my presentation about the genocide in Cambodia - that here in Rwanda, this is truly the place in the world where these three terrible tragedies can be brought together, and with the great efforts of reconciliation we see here in Rwanda."
Saturday March 2: a rest day, with the added delight of lunch with Dr Gerardine Mukeshimana, Minister of Agriculture, and who has visited the World Food Prize. She is at the forefront of agricultural and therefore human and social development in Rwanda.
UK National Holocaust Centre & Museum Event, Nottinghamshire, England
We arrived early Sunday morning, March 3rd, to the UK, following an overnight flight from Kigali, arriving into Humberside airport at 11am - a UK regional airport close to the National Holocaust Centre & Museum.
We were joined by Tommy Krulis, who was visiting the UK from Australia. The 2019 Award is named in the memory of Tommy's father - Steven Krulis, a survivor of Auschwitz.
Amb. Quinn's opening remarks on visiting the UK National Holocaust Centre:
I have to say, I am blown away by what the Smith family has done here. The National Holocaust Centre, and it is here in the East Midlands in the UK, this is just incredible!
God bless you, God bless you for what you have done, James, and your brother Stephen.
I see where you get it now, having met your mum, and your dad - you are one of the legendary families, not only in England, but the world. I am so honoured to be here with you and to know you. Thank you, thank you for all you have done.
Below is the address given by Ambassador Quinn:
James responded to Ambassador Quinn's address:
And ten years later, when he finds himself as the US Ambassador, he did not just go and only do his duty as Ambassador, but he was determined to find a way with his little means - $13 million in a situation such as this is almost like nothing.
So often, we see all the problems, what can't be done - but Ambassador Quinn did what he could; and it worked, building those roads, counter-intutuive, but it worked to deprive the ‘oxygen’ from this terrible, terrible organisation, the Khmer Rouge, which had inflicted such brutality across that nation.
Monday March 4th
A chance for some local tourism and history, visiting one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, held at Lincoln Castle.
We also visited Babworth Church in Nottinghamshire - also famed for Robin Hood - where Richard Clyfton was pastor from 1586 to 1605, inspiring those who led the Pilgrim Fathers to the New World on the Mayflower in 1620.
London, House of Lords
Tuesday March 5th was the big day, at the House of Lords, with a ceremony hosted by Lord Alton of Liverpool.
We are especially grateful to Peter Freeman, a good friend of Aegis and a Trustee with the Holocaust Memorial Foundation, for kindly agreeing to sponsor lunch.
The ceremony was held in the Homes Dinning room, named after Lord Home, a former Prime Minister of the UK.
Lord Alton opened the ceremony:
"It is a particular pleasure to be hosting an event by the Aegis Trust, which was founded in the millennium year, and which, in 2004, following my own visit to Darfur, did so much to encourage me.
"Genocide has been referred to as the crime of all crimes, and rightly so.
"Therefore, it is important to recognise those people who do take a stand against crimes like genocide and ensure that silence is not an option.
"We will hear a great deal more about Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn and his wife Le Son whom I warmly welcome here today."
The Award was introduced by Tom Tugendhat MP, Chair of the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs.
"We are very privileged to be in the presence of someone who did all three things in response to genocide: who raised the alarm, responded to the plight of victims, and took measures to eradicate the threats posed by the remaining genocidaires."
A letter from Governor Kim Reynolds, Governor of Iowa, was read at the ceremony:
On behalf of all Iowans, it is with great pleasure I extend a sincere congratulations to Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn on being honored with the Steven Krulis Champion of Humanity Distinguished Award.
Ambassador Quinn is a true citizen of the world. His passion for helping others is unlimited and inspiring. In Iowa, we have experienced first-hand the Ambassador’s diplomacy, dedication, and sheer will to make a difference as he leads the World Food Prize Foundation.
As his many past contributions are recognized on March 5th, it is imperative that we also acknowledge the Ambassador’s impact on the future. His significant contributions toward ending the Cambodian genocide have set a high bar for promoting transparency and championing ethical behavior. With continual diligence by the international community, Ambassador Quinn’s past actions can further deter atrocities from occurring and potentially save even more lives.
Without question, Ambassador Kenneth Quinn has touched the lives of multiple generations within the United States and around the globe. So, once again, I congratulate the Ambassador on a job well done.
Steven Noah introduced Ambassador Quinn:
"There are only a very few people who have had the courage and resilience to face genocide head on, ignoring the consequences of confronting evil. Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, President of the World Food Prize Foundation, is one of this select company."
Below, a short video featuring the introduction by Steven Noah to Ambassador Quinn.
We were able to ask Amb. Quinn a few questions about his background.
Here he answers how he became a diplomat.
President John Kennedy, who was president when I was at college, had spoken about being a Foreign Service Officer, had he not become a politician - so it seemed to me that maybe I could try that, especially as the test was free.
I signed up for it and took it, thinking there is little or no chance somebody who went to Loras College, Iowa would ever pass, but somehow I did.
It says something about America of the day that whatever your background, where ever you are from, if you did okay in the tests, on merit, you could have an opportunity to reach a high and seemingly out of each goal. So that is what happened and how I became a diplomat.
"My Iowa values"
My Iowa values didn't allow me to turn my back when people are suffering - Ambassador Quinn speaking to the Des Moines Register, February 2019.
We, at Aegis, have been greatly encouraged to read of these values, which not only inspired and have guided Ambassador Quinn, but notable other Iowans, including of course Dr Norman E. Borlaug, whose quest against human suffering led him to become regarded as the father of the Green Revolution, saving hundreds of millions of lives, and who founded the World Food Prize.
And the story of Governor Robert D. Ray, who - along with Kenneth Quinn - led the Iowa SHARES initiative in the late 1970s and early 1980s in response to starving Cambodian survivors, amongst many other initiatives that have benefited the lives of people in Iowa and beyond.
Wednesday March 6th
The day after the House of Lords ceremony, Amb. Quinn was interviewed on BBC national radio, the Today Programme. It was 20 years to the day since the final Khmer Rouge commander, Ta Mok, surrendered.
We were privileged to ask Amb. Quinn a few more questions.
The one thought I come away with, that is even more reinforced, is the great challenge the world faces: can we sustainably and nutritiously feed 9-10 billion people, especially given the terrible challenges of climate and volatility? The huge factor in this is peace.
If the world is not peaceful then there cannot be the trading system, the education system, the research - the sharing of research - so it will only be if we have a peaceful world that we will be able to meet the greatest challenge our species has ever faced.
Pictured below: Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, recipient of the 2019 Steven Krulis Champion of Humanity Award, in the House of Lords, finally fulfilling his dream from when he first became a diplomat of attending functions in major capitals of the world such as London.
Ken, thank you for being truly a man of greatness of heart, captured through the Rwandan word - ubumuntu - for being a champion of humanity - Dr James M. Smith CBE