Monuments Men And Women Foundation

THE MONUMENTS MEN AND WOMEN FOUNDATION HONORS THE LEGACY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED IN THE MONUMENTS, FINE ARTS, AND ARCHIVES SECTION, KNOWN AS THE MONUMENTS MEN", AND THEIR UNPRECEDENTED AND HEROIC WORK PROTECTING AND SAFEGUARDING CIVILIZATIONS MOST IMPORTANT ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL TREASURES FROM ARMED CONFLICT DURING WORLD WAR II BY:I.RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS.II.HONORING ALL THE HEROES BY COMPLETING BIOGRAPHIES AND OBTAINING PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL 350 OR SO MEN AND WOMEN FROM THIRTEEN NATIONS AND MAKING THAT INFORMATION PUBLIC. THE FOUNDATION WILL ALSO ENCOURAGE THOSE CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IMPACTED BY THE MONUMENTS MEN AND WOMEN TO HONOR THEIR WARTIME SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL LEGACY THROUGH SOME FORM OF PERMANENT ON-SITE RECOGNITION. THE FOUNDATION IS IN A RACE AGAINST TIME WORKING WITH MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO HONOR THE MONUMENTS MEN AND WOMEN WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.III.THE FOUNDATION WILL USE HEIGHTENED VISIBILITY ABOUT THE MONUMENTS MEN

DURING 2023:THE FOUNDATION PURSUED THE RECOVERY OF STOLEN AND MISSING OBJECTS TAKEN BY THE NAZIS OR ALLIED SOLDIERS DURING AND IN THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II, AND THEIR RESTITUTION TO RIGHTFUL OWNERS. ESTABLISHED A TOLL-FREE TIP LINE, 866-WWII-ART, TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT CULTURAL OBJECTS LOST OR STOLEN DURING WWII. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO RESEARCH OVER 100 LEADS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. CONTINUED WORK ON BUILDING A BIOGRAPHICAL DATABASE OF ALL MONUMENTS MEN AND WOMEN AND FIRST HAND PARTICIPANTS, WHICH IS OPENLY ACCESSIBLE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR USE BY EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND RESEARCHERS. THE FOUNDATION HAS ALSO CREATED AN ELECTRONIC IN-HOUSE DATABASE, WHERE THIS INFORMATION CAN NOW BE EASILY SEARCHED AND RETRIEVED, WHICH HAS GREATLY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC INQUIRIES FROM STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND SCHOLARS, TO WHICH OUR RESEARCHERS ARE ABLE TO RESPOND. THE FOUNDATION HAS A LEAD ROLE IN THE DESIGN OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM'S PERMANENT EXHIBIT DEDICATED TO THE MONUMENTS MEN, AND CONTINUED TO GATHER KEY ARTIFACTS FROM VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO BE PART OF THE DISPLAY.RAISED WORLDWIDE AWARENESS OF MISSION AND THE MONUMENTS MEN THROUGH WORK ON THE FEATURE FILM "THE MONUMENTS MEN AND WEBSITE CONTENT NOW ACCESSIBLE TO A GROWING INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE. THE WEBSITE IS NOW AVAILABLE IN ITALIAN, GERMAN, AND FRENCH LANGUAGES, IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH.THROUGH THE FOUNDATION'S EFFORTS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, AND TO EDUCATE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ABOUT THE WORK OF THE MONUMENTS MEN, A BIPARTISAN BILL WAS PASSED TO AWARD THEM THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. THE BILL WAS SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT ON JUNE 9, 2014. THE MONUMENTS MEN AND WOMEN FOUNDATION WAS ASKED BY THE U.S. MINT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DESIGN OF THE UNIQUE GOLD MEDAL THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE AWARDED TO THE LIVING MONUMENTS MEN AND WOMEN DURING A FORMAL CONGRESSIONAL PRESENTATION.