Online Vol. 05.2007 

The Templeton Freedom Awards

Investing for freedom from Belarus to Brazil

By Alejandro Antonio Chafuen

Sir John Templeton wrote that the greatest act of charity "is to help the people of a poor nation to learn the traits which lead to prosperity, such as trustworthiness, hard work, free competition, thrift, and the Golden Rule. Any poor nation can be converted to amazing prosperity rather quickly and lastingly if its people and government adopt wholeheartedly these five virtues." All the centers the Templeton Freedom Awards program seeks to recognize, work with this premise. The two featured here are just a sample of the 16 think tanks from 14 Countries that won Templeton Freedom Awards in 2007.

As an international program, the Templeton Freedom Awards has the challenge of assessing think tanks working in very different settings. Totalitarian practices from the Soviet era are still prevalent in Belarus, where the Scientific Research Mises Center in Minsk, Belarus (Minsk Mises Center, MMC) conducts its work. Istituto de Estudos Empresariais (IEE) confronts the challenges of populism in a challenging, but less threatening environment, in Porto Alegre, a city in Southern Brazil.

The Minsk Mises Center has shown to be one of the most deserving awardees. It was too young to win the major prize in 2006, when it won an honorable mention, but judges put it on the top in 2007, just five years after its founding. To advance free enterprise solutions MMC goes beyond the language of economics. It speaks about the search for happiness as well as profits. It has promoted a style of communication that, in the words of its president Jaroslav Romanchuk, is "fashionable, smart and cool."

The center builds its programs and publications to satisfy a diverse set of customers. In response to a government that offers them barriers and persecution, they present draft legislation to take the country in a different direction. The institute has produced law projects in the areas of pension reform, privatization, the 2004 Budget, tax reform, military reform, health care policy and a draft of an economic constitution.

In a nation like Belarus, with an income per capita of $3,000, one needs to work for almost two entire days, and save all the money, to afford a copy of a good book. MMC has been donating thousands of strategically chosen books to public libraries, universities and non-governmental organizations.

For a more personal interaction with future free enterprise champions, the Center created its "economic salons." From September to June each year, every third Wednesday, small groups gather to further their understanding of the principles of the free society. These salons usually escape the scrutiny of the authorities. Already over 130 participants have honed their skills and knowledge to become more efficient multipliers of freedom ideas. Working with a budget of only $65,000, this think tank is truly a great investment.

Another 2007 Freedom Award winner, IEE, in Brazil, organizes the world's largest event for speakers who sympathize with free enterprise systems. This past April, the Liberty Forum - Fórum da Liberdade - already in its 20th year, attracted approximately 8000 people. More than half of the participants were students from top universities. The Forum focused on the importance of property rights for economic development. Former Spanish Prime Minister, José María Aznar, was a keynote speaker. The speech by former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, a moderate social democrat, also packed the auditorium. For this Forum, IEE began a new outreach initiative involving NGOs working in social entrepreneurship. In cooperation with the local secretary of tourism, IEE provided 300 free passes to social entrepreneurs and community based organizations such as the Central Única da Favela (CUFA), which helps provide services to shanty town dwellers; a Fishermen's Cooperative of Ilha da Pintada; and an artisan island women's group.

Young IEE members serve as assistants, drivers and secretaries, for each foreign speaker and VIP guest at the Liberty Forum-often forming lasting bonds as they shadow their distinguished visitors. These members, between 20 and 35 years old, represent the brightest in the region and may themselves be accomplished young entrepreneurs. The age limit requires a constant renewal of the membership. Those who graduate due to age, continue to help the new members and nurture Brazilian civil society with improved skills and knowledge about the free society. They all help build a better world as productive entrepreneurs.

IEE takes special pride in preparing its members. Wagner Lehnart, a member since 2003, notes "we aim at developing in our members six skills we deem essential for the exercise of good leadership, namely: moral and ethical principles, foresight, vitality and motivation, ability to mobilize and achieve results, an extensive network of relationships, and communication skills."

Members are selected and trained during a process with four phases. During the first, they are assessed for their level of interest and their performance of minimal chores; during the second, they are given a bigger challenge, like writing a short article; the third phase requires a more relevant test, like writing a chapter for a book. Finally, they are incorporated into the institute's management. Those who become presidents, face a strict one-year term limit, with no reelection. After its success in Porto Alegre, IEE has been taking its programs and management model to other Brazilian cities.

The Templeton Freedom Awards program that attracted this year more than 200 entries from 53 countries, recognizes innovative civil society programs sponsored by independent research institutes around the world. The second component of the awards recognizes organizations that can provide high returns on the creation of intellectual capital. The judges look for indicators of good governance, leadership, and operating procedures – factors that assure that steps are being taken to limit the risks of investment. The result is a diverse portfolio of exciting, accomplished think tanks from around the world.

Dr. Alejandro Antonio Chafuen , is president and CEO of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, manager of the Templeton Freedom Awards program, and a member of the Mont Pelerin Society since 1980.

Websites of interest:
Liberty Forum: www.liberty-belarus.info
IEE: www.iee.com.br

For a complete list of all Templeton Freedom Award winners please go to
www.atlasusa.org/V2/main/page.php?page_id=472

Marby Sparkman, Editor
milestoneseditor@templeton.org

Pamela Thompson, Vice President of Communications
pthompson@templeton.org

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