People to People International (PTPI) was a program established on September 11, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as part of the United States Information Agency.[1][2] After President Eisenhower left the office of President in 1961, he arranged to have the organization privatized as a non-governmental organization and arranged for People to People to become a not-for-profit Missouri corporation now known as People to People International. President Eisenhower was chairman of the board of trustees and recognized as the founder of the not-for-profit organization. It is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in the state of Missouri and qualifies for exemption from income tax under the Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3). PTPI is funded through program fees, membership dues and donations.
Among the early leaders working with President Eisenhower were Joyce C. Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards, Inc., Walt Disney, Bob Hope and approximately 100 other individuals from industry, academia and the arts. Charles M. Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, contributed three pieces of artwork for PTPI Worldwide Conferences.
On June 22, 2006, People to People was the first organization awarded the Cavaliere per la Pace (Knight of Peace Award).[3][4] Prior to People to People, recipients of this award had always been individuals. Previous honorees include Mother Teresa, Mikhail Gorbachev and Pope John Paul II. Since its inception, eight U.S. presidents served as the honorary chairman of People to People International.
People to People International filed for bankruptcy on March 22, 2022, in Missouri Western Bankruptcy court.[5] Clients received email soon thereafter stating that the umbrella organization could not continue operations due to financial issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; chapters would continue independently.[6]
- ^ Eisenhower, Dwight D. (September 11, 1956). "Remarks at the People-to-People Conference - September 11, 1956". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 749–752.
- ^ Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Dwight D. Eisenhower: "Remarks at the People-to-People Conference" September 11, 1956". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara.
- ^ "Q2 2006 Ambassadors Group, Inc. Earnings Conference Call - Final". Congressional Quarterly Transcriptions. 2006-07-20.
- ^ John C. Abell (2009-02-09). "Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com". Today.reuters.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
- ^ Lukitsch, Bill (March 25, 2022). "Parents feel cheated by Kansas City student travel provider People to People". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Boice, Ed (April 6, 2022). "Mary Jean Eisenhower and parents react to People to People International filing bankruptcy". The Abilene Reflector-Chronicle. Retrieved December 28, 2023.