Activist Portfolio Grants (Uyghur Advocacy)

The Foundation's inaugural grantmaking initiative, launched in October 2022, supports organizations whose efforts are grounded in Elie Wiesel's values and align with his legacy as an Activist. The first grant cycle (2023) focused on Uyghur advocacy efforts.

Mission & Focus:

• Supports organizations advocating for the Uyghur community facing unlawful detention by the Chinese government
• Aims to restore rights and dignity of Uyghur population
• Addresses what the foundation describes as "the largest genocide occurring on the planet today"
• Approximately 1 million Uyghurs arbitrarily imprisoned in Xinjiang province since at least 2017
• Chinese government crimes against humanity include: arbitrary imprisonment, torture, forced sterilization, forced labor, restrictions on freedom of religion and expression

Geographic Scope: Global; Focus on Xinjiang, China and Uyghur diaspora communities

First Round Recipients (2023):

• World Uyghur Congress (Germany-based)
• Uyghur Human Rights Project (US-based)
• Jewish World Watch
• Ana Care & Education ($50,000) - Virginia-based nonprofit preserving Uyghur language, history, and culture through diaspora programming

Foundation Background:

• Led by Elisha Wiesel (son of Elie Wiesel)
• Budget: approximately $600,000 with three employees
• Recovered from Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme losses in 2008

Advisory Committee Members:

• Natan Sharansky (renowned human rights activist, former Soviet refusenik)
• Mark Hetfield (President and CEO of HIAS)
• Nadine Epstein (Editor-in-Chief of Moment Magazine)
• Gulhumar Haitiwaji (daughter of Gulbahar Haitiwaji, camp survivor)