Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor
Well-known international public activist, philanthropist, entrepreneur and investor, strongly involved in finding ways to resolve issues of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and promoting secure tolerance worldwide.
Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor
President of the Luxembourg Forum
Well-known international public activist, philanthropist, entrepreneur and investor, strongly involved in finding ways to resolve issues of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and promoting secure tolerance worldwide.
Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor is president of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe, president of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation, president of the European Jewish Congress, chair of the World Jewish Congress Policy Council, president of the World Holocaust Forum Foundation and chair of the European Jewish Fund.
In 2007, Kantor initiated the founding of the International Luxembourg Forum on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe (Luxembourg Forum), the major umbrella NGO for the world’s leading experts in non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, materials and delivery systems.
In 2007, Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor was named president of the Luxembourg Forum, which was established following the International Conference held in Luxembourg on May 24-25, 2007. The conference brought together over 50 renowned experts from 14 countries, including: Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei; Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Atomic Energy Sergey Kirienko; Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Nikolay Laverov; former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry; and chair of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, former IAEA Director General Hans Blix. The initiative to convene the conference was originally born of the paramount importance of resolving nuclear security issues in light of the growing danger of the collapse of the existing system of nuclear weapons non-proliferation and the reality of the nuclear threat.
The Luxembourg Forum’s activities are aimed at discussing nuclear security and non-proliferation issues, as well as elaborating proposals and recommendations to political leaders and diplomats regarding the reinforcement of nuclear security. The Luxembourg Forum works to prevent trivialization of the nuclear threat in the modern world and aims to provide trustworthy information on the current situation in states and regions of concern (Near and Middle East, Northeast Asia and South Asia).
Led by the Forum’s president, its experts are also working to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear dilemma, a way out of the North Korean nuclear dead-end, and a means to prevent the spread of nuclear terrorism.
In 2008, Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor was one of the founders of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (ECTR), where he currently serves as president with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as chair. The ECTR’s priority tasks are to monitor the level of tolerance in European countries and prepare practical recommendations to governments and international organizations on improving interracial relations and intercultural communication.
One of the Council’s key achievements is a draft Model National Law for the Promotion of Tolerance, which will serve as a pan-European legislative initiative to introduce anti-racist laws and practices in every country and will be submitted for adoption by legislative bodies of European countries. The Law sets forth the concept and definition of tolerance and the principles for relationships between various social groups.
Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor is one of the main initiators and supporters of a pan-European program against xenophobia, anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism, as well as extremism and other existential threats. The program is currently being implemented in multiples directions – education, culture, science and religion – and is supported by political leaders and organizations, including the Council of Europe and the European Union.
In 2011, Kantor issued a major work entitled the Manifesto on Secure Tolerance, which was written for educational, social and humanitarian purposes only. It describes, among other things, the concepts of global security and tolerance. The Manifesto is available in seven languages: Russian, English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Hebrew and Arabic.
Science and Business Career
After graduating from university, Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor worked as head of a leading USSR spacecraft laboratory. Based on his research, a satellite was designed and launched into Earth orbit to illuminate the planet’s surface with reflected sunlight.
In 1993, he took the helm of agrochemical company Acron, which under his leadership became a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of mineral fertilizers. Acron is a nine-time winner of the Best Russian Company award, which is conferred by the Russian Chamber and Industry together with the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
In 1996-2000, Kantor was economic adviser to the Chair of the Federation Council (Upper House of the Russian Parliament) of the Russian Federal Assembly.
In 1997, Viatcheslav Kantor was named Honorary Citizen of Veliky Novgorod for his major contribution to development and strengthening of economy, science and cultural heritage of the old city of Novgorod, and improvement of social and living conditions for its residents.
In 2000, Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor was one of the founders of the National Institute of Corporate Reform, a non-commercial organization uniting prominent political and business leaders and scientists to promote reforms at Russian companies.
Personal Information
Education:
- Graduated from the Moscow Aviation Institute (1976)
- PhD (Russia), Honorary Doctorate from Tel Aviv University;
Russian and international government awards:
- Order of Honor (Russia, 2016);
- Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor (France, 2015);
- Grand Cross of the National Order ‘For Merit’ (Romania, 2014)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy, 2013)
- Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor (France, 2012)
- Order of Leopold (Belgium, 2009)
- Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine, 2006)
- Order of Merit (Poland, 2005)
- Order of Friendship (Russia, 1998)
Born on September 8, 1953 in Moscow, USSR.
Married with five children.