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John Gardner—Remarks by Vartan Gregorian,
President, Carnegie Corporation of New York
In
the annals of institutions, there are individuals who become institutions
themselves, and John Gardner is one of them. Today, we gather together
to celebrate his life—the life of an American, a great citizen
and a great internationalist who loved his country but who was never
a chauvinist. John Gardner knew that America was a nation of strength
and consequence, but he also believed that its greatness came not
from its power or material wealth but from its deeply held values,
particularly its respect for the aspirations and accomplishments
of individuals and the contributions that they can make to a democratic
society. At the same time, he understood the importance of community,
and how each generation—those that came before him and those
that would follow—has a unique and essential part to play in
weaving the tapestry of our national life. He once summed up this
quintessentially American dichotomy in a few succinct words: “Freedom
and responsibility, liberty and duty: that’s the deal.”
Gardner also championed the idea that justice, an open society,
and healthy, democratic institutions are essential to keeping America
strong but, just as important, to helping it always remain an example
to other nations of fairness, equality, and an unswerving commitment
to do right.
We
are joined, today, by people from across the spectrum of public
life in New York—from its thriving intellectual, cultural,
philanthropic and civic worlds—along with members of the Gardner
family, including his wife, his daughters, and two of his grandchildren,
in whom he saw the continuity of life and hope for the future. From
this distinguished gathering, we have asked seven individuals to
speak about the extraordinary individual who was John Gardner. They
are:
Bill Moyers, a journalist with an unparalleled clarity of
voice, whose message always rises from the bedrock of integrity,
and a colleague of John Gardner’s in the administration of
Lyndon Johnson, he has always demonstrated a powerful commitment
to the causes that were dear to Gardner.
Lloyd Morrisett, one of the founders of Children’s Television
Network, former president of the Markle Foundation who also served
on the senior staff of Carnegie Corporation of New York during Gardner’s
tenure as president, helping to fulfill Gardner’s vision for
the work and mission of the Corporation then, and into the future.
Frank Thomas, chairman of the September 11th Fund, who also
led the Ford Foundation during difficult and challenging times;
his idealism and commitment to change helped to stimulate the nation
and provided leadership in elevating countless important issues
to the level of the national agenda.
David Hamburg, physician, scholar, and president emeritus
of Carnegie Corporation of New York, he has spent a lifetime building
bridges of understanding between nations and cultures and crafting
rational tools to help avoid conflicts throughout the world; he
applied John Gardner’s vision of understanding between peoples
to all his endeavors.
Sarah Engelhardt, president of the Foundation Center, former
Secretary of Carnegie Corporation and friend to the Gardners, she
shared John Gardner’s passion for the high-quality foundation
management and his commitment to the communication of ideas, as
well as to the advancement of opportunities in all walks of life
for women and girls.
Margaret Mahoney, president of MEM Associates, president
emeritus of the Commonwealth Fund and former associate secretary
and executive associate of Carnegie Corporation of New York, she
has been a leader in philanthropy and in improving medical care
for all Americans, but particularly for women, young children and
the elderly; she was a close friend and associate of John Gardner’s.
Eli Evans, writer, thinker, president of the Revson Foundation
and former senior staff member of Carnegie Corporation, he shared
John Gardner’s passion for equality, excellence and justice,
and for helping those who had been disenfranchised in the past to
take hold of the American dream and shape it as their own.
Concluding Remarks
Thank you for coming. There is simply not time enough to celebrate
all the facets of John Gardner’s life, but I hope that we have
given you at least a glimpse of how truly remarkable a man he was.
Before leaving, I’d like to ask noted soprano Angela Fout to
sing “God Bless America,” one of Gardner’s favorite
songs. If you’d like to join along, the words to the song are
in your program.
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