Templeton Freedom Prize for Initiative in Public Relations

Templeton Freedom Prize for Initiative in Public Relations

Atlas’s founder, Sir Antony Fisher encouraged think tank leaders to operate in a business-like manner with sharp attention to the task of disseminating ideas—not just generating them. Sir John Templeton, for whom this Prize is named, also felt strongly that engagement with the media is essential to effective research efforts.
Scientific Research Mises Center of Minsk, Belarus, receives the top recognition for this prize. Established in 2002, the Mises Center is dedicated to create an open community for discussion of the ideas of liberty, limited government, private property, and freedom of choice.
Despite operating in a hostile authoritarian environment, the Mises Center was able to leverage its previous honor—receiving a $10,000 Templeton Freedom Award (TFA) grant from Atlas—and reach new audiences with its intellectual products. For instance, the Mises Center celebrated its TFA Grant by holding a weekend seminar in Minsk with two book presentations. It utilized the grant funding to quadruple the print run of its latest book, Liberalism: The Ideology of a Happy Person, which markets the ideas of liberty.
The Mises Center launched a nationwide campaign—“Charge Yourself with Liberty”—through a series of book presentations and lectures on classical liberalism held throughout Belarus.
One judge commented, “This institution has been instrumental in defining the terms of debate in a nation hostile to the very terms they use and aggressively antagonistic toward the ideals of individual freedom and economic liberty. They have used the campaign to create greater visibility among the opposition who increasingly rely upon them for policy frameworks and analyses, in a marketplace where few such independent voices are allowed to flourish.”
The Mises Center measures its progress in the increased number of interview requests and web traffic it has received since beginning the campaign. The Center believes that the recognition of its work through Atlas’s TFA program has increased its visibility as a leader in promoting the philosophy of liberty and pragmatic free-market reforms. According to the Center’s president, Jaroslav Romanchuk, the respect and credibility that comes with the TFA Grant has an additional benefit in authoritarian societies such as Belarus. “Being the winner of an Atlas contest provides an additional protection against physical and legal abuse.” The Mises Center receives $10,000 with this prize.
The runner-up for the Templeton Freedom Prize for Initiative in Public Relations is the Center for Politiske Studier (CEPOS) of Copenhagen, Denmark. Established just three years ago, CEPOS has made a considerable impact, introducing free-market opinions into public policy debates that were previously dominated by statist views. Denmark’s popular Berlingske Business magazine ran a front-page news story with the headline, “CEPOS controls the public debate.”
One prize judge remarked, “The speed with which CEPOS has become a prominent voice in the discourse of its nation—the extent of its influence in that debate and its ability to capture and dominate the agenda—are all remarkable accomplishments and deserve recognition.” CEPOS receives $5,000 with this prize.


The Enterprise Initiative The Fraser Institute: Build Enterprise-Based Prosperity in the Arab World Enterprise Africa! The Center on Global Prosperity The Entrepreneurial Spirit and the Birth of China’s Free Enterprise Economy Seven Fund The Cultural Change Institute Religion and Social Capital Free Enterprise: Values in Action Templeton Freedom Awards Templeton Freedom Prizes for Excellence in Promoting Liberty Templeton Freedom Prize for Initiative in Public Relations Templeton Freedom Award Grants	Templeton Freedom Prize for Initiative in Public Relations Atlas’s founder, Sir Antony Fisher encouraged think tank leaders to operate in a business-like manner with sharp attention to the task of disseminating ideas—not just generating them. Sir John Templeton, for whom this Prize is named, also felt strongly that engagement with the media is essential to effective research efforts. Scientific Research Mises Center of Minsk, Belarus, receives the top recognition for this prize. Established in 2002, the Mises Center is dedicated to create an open community for discussion of the ideas of liberty, limited government, private property, and freedom of choice. Despite operating in a hostile authoritarian environment, the Mises Center was able to leverage its previous honor—receiving a $10,000 Templeton Freedom Award (TFA) grant from Atlas—and reach new audiences with its intellectual products. For instance, the Mises Center celebrated its TFA Grant by holding a weekend seminar in Minsk with two book presentations. It utilized the grant funding to quadruple the print run of its latest book, Liberalism: The Ideology of a Happy Person, which markets the ideas of liberty. The Mises Center launched a nationwide campaign—“Charge Yourself with Liberty”—through a series of book presentations and lectures on classical liberalism held throughout Belarus. One judge commented, “This institution has been instrumental in defining the terms of debate in a nation hostile to the very terms they use and aggressively antagonistic toward the ideals of individual freedom and economic liberty. They have used the campaign to create greater visibility among the opposition who increasingly rely upon them for policy frameworks and analyses, in a marketplace where few such independent voices are allowed to flourish.” The Mises Center measures its progress in the increased number of interview requests and web traffic it has received since beginning the campaign. The Center believes that the recognition of its work through Atlas’s TFA program has increased its visibility as a leader in promoting the philosophy of liberty and pragmatic free-market reforms. According to the Center’s president, Jaroslav Romanchuk, the respect and credibility that comes with the TFA Grant has an additional benefit in authoritarian societies such as Belarus. “Being the winner of an Atlas contest provides an additional protection against physical and legal abuse.” The Mises Center receives $10,000 with this prize. The runner-up for the Templeton Freedom Prize for Initiative in Public Relations is the Center for Politiske Studier (CEPOS) of Copenhagen, Denmark. Established just three years ago, CEPOS has made a considerable impact, introducing free-market opinions into public policy debates that were previously dominated by statist views. Denmark’s popular Berlingske Business magazine ran a front-page news story with the headline, “CEPOS controls the public debate.” One prize judge remarked, “The speed with which CEPOS has become a prominent voice in the discourse of its nation—the extent of its influence in that debate and its ability to capture and dominate the agenda—are all remarkable accomplishments and deserve recognition.” CEPOS receives $5,000 with this prize.