How You Can Help

The Open Hands Foundation is actively seeking

partners--individuals and organizations-- from around
the world in order to advance our common goals.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to find
out more about getting involved.

Contact us
info@openhandsinitiative.org
media@openhandsinitiative.org

Open Hands Initiative

592 Fifth Avenue, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10036

telephone: 1 917 544 7260

Dedicated to improving people-to-people understanding by

emphasizing our basic shared values and common humanity
 About the Open Hands Initiative
“We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” – President Barack Obama, Cairo 2009

Like many around the world, I have felt the new
spirit of cooperation that President Barack Obama
has inspired. Through my personal involvement
in international business, philanthropy and public
service, I have seen first-hand the re-invigorated
role that diplomacy can and will play in restoring
The Open Hands Initiative is a US-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving people-to-people
understanding and friendship throughout the world through exchanges and other projects that emphasize our
basic shared values and common humanity.
The Initiative grew out of U.S. President Barack Obama’s famous pledge to extend open hands of friendship and
dialogue to all people of the world. We take this pledge as our mission. Only through mutual understanding and
open communication can trust and goodwill be established.

Our Approach
America’s image, confronting common threats,
and securing peace and prosperity in the world.

Most important to this renewed effort is to
recognize that despite our diverse cultures
and traditions across the globe, we all share a
common humanity with much to teach and learn
from each other. Rather than driving us further
apart, the things that make us different can in fact
Chairman’s bring us closer together.
The Open Hands Initiative is not an aid organization, nor is it an organization that aims to extol the virtues of
US values. Those are one way streets. Rather, in all of our activities we seek to understand the communities in
which we enter, and help them understand us.
We believe in “diplomacy” that is by and for ordinary people and that emphasizes dialogue and mutual respect.
Therefore, our work takes place in the spheres of everyday life—health, culture, education, and recreation—and
stresses that each and every country has much to teach and learn from one another.
We take what is best about our societies and share them. In so doing, we enrich each other, deepen our
interdependence and respect, and build a reservoir of goodwill that can withstand even the most fundamental
policy differences.

Message I am now launching the Open Hands Initiative to

help the private sector play its part in building

Project Areas
understanding and goodwill between peoples of
the world. The Initiative’s efforts will be dedicated
to addressing areas of peoples everyday lives
-- from health, to education, to culture. We will
provide a long-term, grassroots platform to
exchange ideas, creativity and friendship in these
critical areas. We know that there is no shortage of
talent or amity in the world. What has been lacking Disability &
Health Care
is a stable, functioning means to communicate.
Accessibility
I am proud to lead this new effort to communicate.
As Chairman of the Open Hands Initiative I
dedicate myself and this organization to a future in
which the misunderstandings that have led to war

Culture &
and conflict in the past give way to a homegrown
solidarity between the people of the world.

Sincerely,
Creativity
Jay T. Snyder
Health Care
We send teams of experienced American physicians to other countries to help build capacity for local doctors
through knowledge sharing and improving local health care practices. Our aim is to establish long-term,
sustainable, and equal partnerships for the mutual benefit of all.
We connect American physicians with local hospitals, medical universities, and NGO’s to identify key health
and medical issues in each community. We then facilitate the exchange of on-the-ground medical support and
education through best practice sharing, cooperative treatment, and providing key medical supplies.
Mechanisms for year-round dialogue between American and local partners are left behind to further strengthen the
relationships formed.
Culture & Creativity
Who We Are
The Open Hands Initiative was established in November 2009 by Jay T. Snyder, an American businessman,
philanthropist, and public servant. Our Advisory Board consists of internationally renowned experts in the fields of
public diplomacy, private philanthropy, and international cultures.
Founder & Chairman
Jay T. Snyder serves as Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Open Hands Initiative.
Mr. Snyder has been active in community service and as a public servant for a number of years, including
serving on the Bookings’ Saban Center & Council on Foreign Relations Middle East Project, the U.S.
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, and as a United States Representative to the United Nations
General Assembly. In addition to his philanthropic and public service work, Mr. Snyder also currently
works in private equity investments as a principal of HBJ Investments LLC.

Some of the world’s greatest cultural works- from art, to

music, to literature- come from the developing world.
These cultural products are important not just for their
Advisory Board
beauty, but also for what they say about the values To help support and guide our mission successfully, we have established an Advisory Board consisting of
and history of the people who produce them. We internationally renowned experts in the fields of public diplomacy, private philanthropy, health, disability,
provide tools for introducing these treasures to education, business, and international cultures.
western audiences, and encourage the power of
The Open Hands Initiative will be further expanding our Advisory Board membership in 2010.
expression and dialogue through art.
We work to translate, distribute, and promote in the Tina Brown
west the works of the developing world’s authors Founder and editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast, Tina Brown is the author of the 2007 New
and poets, while supporting local literacy and York Times best seller The Diana Chronicles. Brown is the former editor of Tatler, Vanity Fair,
educational programs. We also help facilitate the The New Yorker, and Talk magazines and host of CNBC’s Topic A with Tina Brown.
production, distribution, and exchange of local art
and music while simultaneously providing jobs and Mike Holtzman
income to independent local artists and entertainers. Named “PR Person of the Year” by PR Week Magazine, Michael Holtzman is a public
diplomacy strategist and currently a partner at the international strategic communications firm
Brown Lloyd James. Mr. Holtzman has led the firm’s work to engage and influence high-
level and grassroots relationships between the US and China, the Middle East, Russia, North
Africa and other areas of strategic importance.
Ambassador Martin S. Indyk
Currently Vice President and Director of Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution, Martin
Indyk is a former Ambassador to Israel and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs
during the Clinton administration. He currently focuses on the Clinton administration’s
Disability & Accessibility diplomacy and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Ambassador Mitchell B. Reiss
Children are the future of any nation. We work closely with
President of Washington College and a senior associate of the CSIS International Security
communities, schools, local NGO’s, and families to promote
Program, Ambassador Reiss is a leading expert on American foreign policy and internationally
the rights of children with disabilities as equal members of
recognized for his negotiating skills during the Northern Ireland peace process and the North
society.
Korean nuclear crisis.
We build handicapped accessible playgrounds and invite
Ambassador Patrick Theros
parents and educators to share their experiences and
Ambassador Theros served as US Ambassador to Qatar from 1995 until his retirement from
expertise with the international community.
the US Foreign Service in 1998. Theros joined the US Foreign Service in 1963 and held
We also partner with American disability organizations to diplomatic posts throughout the Middle East, including in Jordan, Abu Dhabi, Syria, Saudi
meet with communities around the world and share their Arabia, and Lebanon. He previously served as Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism,
experiences in promoting health, adapted sports, and social responsible for the coordination of all U.S. Government counterterrorism activities outside the
inclusion for the disabled. United States.
Where We Are
2 Education & Culture
The Open Hands Initiative is committed to fostering dialogue and goodwill worldwide, with a special focus on
improving people-to-people relationships with the United States and developing world.
Initial target countries for the Initiative’s projects include Syria, Pakistan and Indonesia, with subsequent expansion
plans throughout the developing world.
Pakistan features a long and proud history of literary achievements, with poetry holding a special
place in the country’s literary culture.
At the same time, Pakistan unfortunately suffers from high illiteracy rates- currently above 50%.
The Open Hands Initiative is working with local and US-based partners to support Pakistan’s rich
cultural history by promoting on-the-ground literacy and education efforts.
We also stress the importance of sharing this important aspect of Pakistan’s culture with the rest
of the world. This is why we are engaging in efforts to translate and disseminate traditional and
modern Pakistani poetry into English.

Syria
Establishing trust, confidence, and understanding between the people of Syria and the United States is an Indonesia
objective of great importance to both countries.
As the world’s largest Muslim country, healthy ties between the people of Indonesia and the U.S. are crucial to
To this end, the Open Hands Initiative is launching a series of targeted programs in Syria that will bring the two
long-term global stability.
peoples together for mutual celebration and education of each other’s respective cultures. Syria is a country with a
proud history, rich culture, and valued traditions, which is why our efforts will focus on the following areas: The Open Hands Initiative believes that bringing together the people of Indonesia and the United States to help
solve problems together can greatly improve the goodwill and dialogue between the two peoples.
1 Literature & Poetry
The Open Hands Initiative is increasing the mutual sharing of Syrian and American poetry and That is why in 2010 we are working in Indonesia with local and U.S.-based partners to help improve general public
literature by translating the works of famed American and Syrian authors and publishing these health conditions, as well as the lives of children with special needs.
translated works together in joint bi-lingual volumes.
The Open Hands Initiative is also working with local educational institutions in each country to 1 Public Health
use these published volumes as educational materials. By exposing young students to these The Open Hands Initiative will bring together doctors from the United States to meet with their
national classics, Open Hands is raising awareness of the diverse literary thought each country has counterparts in Indonesian hospitals, medical universities, and non-profit health organizations, in
to offer, stressing that there is a common humanity that we all share. order to share knowledge and best practices, provide needed equipment to local organizations,
and assist in training and education that will have a lasting impact on the ground.
2 Music Exchanges The Initiative’s efforts will establish long-term cross-country partnerships to together achieve
The Open Hands Initiative is facilitating the production, distribution, and exchange of local and sustainable results.
music, simultaneously providing jobs and income to independent local artists and entertainers.
As part of these programs, we connect local artists with American counterparts, to provide 2 Disability & Accessibility
education, training, equipment, and mutual sharing of local techniques. The Open Hands Initiative is working closely with communities, schools, local NGO’s, and families
The music produced by local artists is sold locally in Syria as a means of generating revenue for to promote the rights of children with disabilities as equal members of society.
artists, and also distributed in the United States to expose Western audiences to the rich and
vibrant Syrian music scene. We will soon launch construction of handicapped accessible playgrounds in Indonesia, and
invite local parents and educators to share their experiences and expertise with the international
community.
We are also partnering with American disability organizations to meet with Indonesian organizations,
Pakistan

families and communities to share their experiences in promoting health, adapted sports, and social
inclusion for the disabled.

The Open Hands Initiative is currently preparing to launch programs in Pakistan that will bring together the people
of the United States and Pakistan and foster improved mutual understanding.
Activities will focus on exchanges in the fields of public health, education, and culture. U.S.
1 Public Health The Open Hands Initiative is based in the U.S., but draws its support from the citizens of countries around the
The Open Hands Initiative will bring together doctors from the United States to meet with their world.
counterparts in Pakistani hospitals, medical universities, and non-profit health organizations, in
order to share knowledge and best practices, provide needed equipment to local organizations, We are also committed to enlisting the support and involvement of U.S-based organizations and private individuals
and assist in training and education that will have a lasting impact on the ground. from the non-profit, academic, and business worlds who share the Initiative’s vision.
The Initiative will establish long-term cross-country partnerships and together achieve sustainable This vision is that all people and cultures around the world have much to share with and teach each other. Only
results. through mutual understanding and open communication can trust and goodwill be established.