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Victor Pinchuk is the first Ukrainian private citizen to be honored in the “Time 100 – The World’s 100 Most Influential People” list by Time Magazine
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation is proud to announce that Victor Pinchuk is listed as one of the "2010 Time 100 - The World's Most Influential People" in Time Magazine, published on April 29, 2010. Mr. Pinchuk is listed in the "Thinkers" section, among the most influential thinkers in the world -- along with Apple founder Steve Jobs, Minister Mentor of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew, newly appointed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and designer Zaha Hadid.
Time Magazine's world-renowned list comprises an exclusive group of highly distinguished international leaders and innovators. Victor Pinchuk, as a non-partisan philanthropist and businessman, is the first Ukrainian private citizen to be thus distinguished. In 2005, then-President Viktor Yushchenko was the first Ukrainian on the list.
Mr. Pinchuk is highly honoured by this nomination, which sees as a reward for his many years of commitment to setting trends in philanthropy in Ukraine: "It is a big honour for me to be the first representative of Ukraine's civil society to be distinguished by Time Magazine."
Victor Pinchuk added: "This distinction goes not only to me, but to the whole Ukrainian people. To all the Ukrainian citizens who managed to keep the country going and develop it even in times of crisis and political instability. And to Ukraine as my nation, the country that allowed me to be what I am today."
For over 12 years Mr. Pinchuk has implemented philanthropic projects in Ukraine; in 2006, he consolidated them under the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, the largest private Ukrainian philanthropic foundation. With his foundation, Victor Pinchuk has sought to serve and support the Ukrainian people in a non-partisan approach and to trigger change in the country in areas like healthcare, education, art and international relations. The foundation's projects include a network of neonatal centres, Cradles of Hope, the largest private nation-wide scholarship program in Ukraine, Zavtra.UA, the largest contemporary art centre in Eastern Europe, PinchukArtCentre, and the international network Yalta European Strategy (YES) to support Ukraine's European integration.
Sir Elton John, who supports the efforts of Victor Pinchuk and his wife, Elena Franchuk, to combat HIV/AIDS in Ukraine, declared in his appreciation of Victor Pinchuk for the "Time 100" list: "Victor Pinchuk is the leading advocate for bringing his country into the European Union. He is heroic in his fight against anti-Semitism as well, and he collaborated with Steven Spielberg on a film that calls attention to the plight of the Ukrainian Jewish community during the Holocaust. Through his work in all these fields, Victor shows his love of our planet and makes the world a better place to live."
Victor Pinchuk declared: "The mission of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation is to enable the next generation to become the change makers of tomorrow. I hope our initiatives will contribute to having in the future many Ukrainian scientists, thinkers, artists and social leaders on the "Time 100 - The World's Most Influential People" list."
2010 TIME 100: The World's Most Influential People List
2010 TIME 100 Article about Victor Pinchuk
