2023 Truman Foundation 51st Annual Luncheon

The Truman Good Neighbor Award Foundation honors the 33rd President of the United States with an annual birthday luncheon open to the public. The highlight of the luncheon is the presentation of the Harry S. Truman Good Neighbor Award in recognition of an individual's exemplary service to the nation and representation of the “good neighbor” values that President Truman promoted. This year's recipient is Jason Kander. Previous honorees include Presidents Bill Clinton, Gerald R. Ford, Senator John McCain, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, and news anchor Walter Cronkite.

The 2023 Philip Pistilli Silver Veteran’s Medal will be awarded to Judge Howard F. Sachs.

Both awards have been given annually since 1973 on the anniversary of President Truman’s birth.  

College scholarships in the field of international relations and public service are also presented at the annual luncheon. There are four individual $5,000 Sherman & Irene Dreiseszun Scholarships awarded to students attending the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Kansas. Three individual $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to students attending Georgetown University in honor of Edwin J. Beinecke, Jr., Augustana College in honor of Benedict K. & Donna Zobrist, and University of Missouri in honor of Robert N. Epsten. These scholarships recognize both past and present supporters of the Foundation.

To accomplish the Foundation’s mission to foster friendly relations among all nations, races, and religions, the Foundation invites international students enrolled at local and regional colleges to be our guests at the annual Good Neighbor Award Luncheon. This element of the Foundation’s mission continues the tradition established by President Truman who enjoyed meeting international students and posing for photographs at his birthday celebrations in Kansas City, as well as when they visited the Truman Library in nearby Independence.