The 70th anniversary of the Tavistock Institute is a significant achievement that deserves all our admiration and attention. Congratulations on organizing yet another incredible festival. We so wish that we could be there with all of you on this special occasion.
As an institution that just recently had our own 100th-year anniversary, we recognize the importance of your tenure and the impact that you have had – and continue to have – on communities worldwide. Seven decades of success is no small feat – for that, we would like to congratulate our long-time partner.
The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to be part of your history, beginning with a grant that was made on the cusp of the Second World War. The story of our partnership began in 1939 when the Foundation provided one of the founding grants to the Institute – a staggering $19,500! – to support the growth and advancement of the study of psychiatry. As we now know, this mission would become especially critical in rebuilding post-war Europe.
But since then, much like the world around it, the Institute’s vision has evolved, and now focuses on bridging the gap between the way in which humans think and how we should solve society’s most pressing challenges. In this way, your mission remains just as crucial and relevant to the world in which we now live – and it is one that we share, here at The Rockefeller Foundation.
As we progress deeper into the 21st century and toward the many new problems that have and will continue to come with it, the Foundation is committed – now more than ever before – to finding holistic solutions that deliver outsized impact. As was the case more than 70 years ago, it is clear that the Foundation and the Tavistock Institute remain aligned on carving a path forward for humanity to address our world’s challenges – together.
Thank you for your important work, and congratulations again!
The Rockefeller Foundation