Marilyn Perry Honored at World Monuments Fund Hadrian Gala
Marilyn Perry speaking at the World Monuments Fund Annual Hadrian Gala
Photo by BFA Jason Lowrie
On October 28, 2024, World Monuments Fund held its 35th annual Hadrian Gala at The New York Public Library’s iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The evening honored architect Peter Marino, FAIA and Marilyn Perry, Chair Emerita of World Monuments Fund and President Emerita of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, for their extraordinary efforts to save and restore the city of Venice.
Chair Emerita of WMF and its longest serving Board Member (40 years), Dr. Marilyn Perry has been instrumental in the development of World Monuments Fund since joining the Board in 1984. An art historian, she lived in Venice during the 1970s prior to serving as President of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation (1981-2007). As Chair of the WMF Board from 1990 to 2007, she oversaw the development of the organization as staff and programs expanded and WMF's mission became global in scope. In 2015, for WMF's 50th anniversary, Dr. Perry wrote a brief history, Hadrian’s Way: Creating World Monuments Fund (1965-2015) to document the organization's development and its impact on the evolving heritage world. Accepting the 2024 Hadrian Award, she remarked, "One of our early challenges at WMF was to demonstrate to a larger audience the universal value of our work. Presenting the Hadrian Award (named for the ancient Roman Emperor) to notable international individuals drew attention to their concern for heritage sites and recognized the value of a universal movement. Now, as a Hadrian Awardee myself, I celebrate World Monuments Fund as a core adventure of my life."
About the Hadrian Gala
Each year, World Monuments Fund’s Hadrian Gala honors champions of conservation for their passionate commitment and extraordinary contributions to preserving and protecting the world’s shared cultural heritage. Since 1988, World Monuments Fund has presented the Hadrian Award to recognize leadership that advances the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of the world’s art and architecture.
About World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund is the leading independent organization devoted to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places to enrich lives and build mutual understanding. For more than 55 years, working at more than 700 sites in 112 countries, its highly skilled experts have applied proven and effective techniques to the preservation of important architectural and cultural heritage sites around the globe. Through the World Monuments Watch—a biennial, nomination-based program—WMF uses cultural heritage conservation to empower communities and improve human well-being. In partnership with local communities, funders, and governments, WMF seeks to inspire an enduring commitment to stewardship for future generations. Headquartered in New York City, the organization has offices and affiliates worldwide.