The Echo Foundation promotes justice and inspires hope through education, creative acts of service, and the development of leadership for a more humane world.

Through comprehensive educational programs, The Echo Foundation equips individuals with moral and intellectual tools necessary to create positive change in their local and global communities. Echo initiatives use the power of example to educate about critical issues of human rights and social justice. Experiential learning opportunities, programs using the arts in service to humankind, and facilitated dialogue in the pursuit of solutions are hallmarks of the organization.

The foundation was created in 1997 by Stephanie Ansaldo, with Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel serving as Honorary Chair, following Wiesel’s visit to Charlotte that year. As the community-wide project Against Indifference concluded, Wiesel challenged the community to act on its convictions of human dignity, justice, and moral courage. He also offered his assistance in developing programs to address critical issues facing humanity.

Today, Echo delivers programming through five core initiatives. The foundation has hosted 19 humanitarians, Nobel Laureates and world leaders, served over 600,000 students, and forged partnerships worldwide. For more information about The Echo Foundation, visit www.echofoundation.org.