ELLIS ISLAND HONORS SOCIETY ANNOUNCES THE 2025 ELLIS ISLAND MEDALS OF HONOR RECIPIENTS

Published on Thu 1 May 2025 9:27:34 UTC

Leaders in business, education, entertainment, public service, philanthropy, media, healthcare, sports, and the defense of the United States to be honored with the prestigious Ellis Island Medals of Honor on May 10th During Gala on Ellis Island

**** Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, to Receive Global Humanitarian Ellis Island Medal of Honor****

NEW YORK, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) has today announced the 2025 recipients of the Annual Ellis Island Medals of Honor, which include: Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden; Academy Award Winning Actor, Adrien Brody; Journalist and Television Host, Christiane Amanpour; Pfizer Chairman and CEO, Dr. Albert Bourla; Co-Founder of Moderna, Robert Langer; FOX News Business Anchor, Liz Claman; Chair of America 250, Rosie Rios; NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Intelligence & Counterterrorism, Rebecca Weiner; President & CEO of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Selwyn Vickers, MD FACS; President of The Ford Foundation, Darren Walker; Dean of the Medical Faculty at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Theodore L. DeWeese, M.D.; Former U.S. Energy Secretary and Noble Prize Winning Physicist, Steven Chu, and Chairman, President, and CEO of The Vecellio Group, Leo Vecellio, Jr. To see the full list of 2025 recipients, please visit: https://www.eihonors.org/eimoh2025

Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, to Receive Global Humanitarian Ellis Island Medal of Honor:
Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden will be accepting the prestigious Global Humanitarian Ellis Island Medal of Honor, a distinction reserved exclusively for global leaders who have demonstrated extraordinary global impact. This honor recognizes Her Majesty Queen Silvia's lifelong dedication to humanitarian causes, most notably her work to protect vulnerable children through the World Childhood Foundation and Mentor Foundation, her leadership in advancing dementia care via the Silviahemmet Foundation, and her commitment to empowering youth and supporting people with disabilities worldwide. Her Majesty Queen Silvia joins a distinguished group of past recipients, including the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Northern Ireland's former leaders, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness, Queen Farah Pahlavi of Iran, and Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Why, when and where
The Ellis Island Medals of Honor have been awarded annually since 1986 to Americans, both U.S.-born and naturalized, who represent and contribute to the rich mosaic that is our great nation. This year, a total of 80 honorees will be honored for their contributions in business, education, entertainment, public service, philanthropy, media, healthcare, sports, and the defense of the United States. Each medalist has embraced their personal immigrant history and recognizes the role that uniquely American opportunities played in helping them reach their goals.

The medal ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 10th during a black-tie gala held in Ellis Island's Great Hall, which served as the gateway for 12 million immigrants to the U.S.

"Thiseveningisatribute-onethathonorsperseverance,accomplishment,andservice. Tonight, we recognize the remarkable contributions of 80 individuals to the United States and the world," said EIHS Chairman Nasser J. Kazeminy. "These honorees, representing a wide range of disciplines, exemplify the extraordinary potential of a nation built on freedom and opportunity. America's rapid progress is a testament to its ability to harness the energy and ingenuity of its people. Nowhere else in history has freedomandindividual dignitybeenmoreaccessibleandprotected.Whenpeoplethink of the 'Land of the Free,' the United States stands alone."

For 38 years, the Ellis Island Honors Society has been fostering acceptance, respect, and understanding among diverse ethnic and cultural groups by celebrating acclaimed Americans of immigrant descent and others of distinguished character for their contributions to the world. EIHS is a 501(c)3 non-profit, which, in addition to presenting the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, is a humanitarian organization supporting educational opportunities for students with immigrant heritage and preserving the Ellis Island National Monument.

Among those honored
Since the Medal was founded in 1986, EIHS has honored distinguished and diverse Americans including: eight Presidents of the United States, Nobel Laureates Elie Wiesel and Malala Yousufzai; Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell; Justices Antonin Scalia and Sandra Day O'Connor; Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton; Bob Hope; Muhammad Ali; Frank Sinatra; Rosa Parks; Mike Wallace and Rita Moreno. All have distinguished themselves through their significant philanthropic, artistic, intellectual and humanitarian contributions to this country.

The Ellis Island Medals of Honor ranks among the nation's most renowned awards. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have officially recognized the Ellis Island Medals of Honor, and each year the recipients are listed in the Congressional Record.

ABOUT US
The Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) was founded on the conviction that the diversity of the American people is what makes this nation great. EIHS honors the contributions made by immigrants and their descendants throughout American history. We do this by creating scholarships with a focus on immigration, supporting cultural events and programs around the nation, and mobilizing our community of Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients to raise funds for disaster relief worldwide.

www.EIHonors.org
@EIHonors
#EIMoH

SOURCE Ellis Island Honors Society

Ellis Island Honors Society