On Thursday, December 2, 2021, the National Institute held its 107th Annual Gold Medal Gala in person at the Metropolitan Club in New York City. National Institute President Fred Larsen awarded Gold Honor Medals to this year’s honorees, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Amartya Sen, for distinguished service to humanity.

The centerpiece of the event was the three Honorees in a panel conversation with each other and President Larsen in front of a live dinner audience. Video recordings from the event can be viewed below or on the National Institute YouTube site.

President Fred Larsen opens the evening’s festivities

President Larsen gives an update on the Grants Program and introduces the 2020 and 2021 Dissertation Grant winners

Introduction of 2021 Honorees, panel discussion (0:05:33), audience Q&A (0:43:17), and presentation of medals (1:00:00)

One of the nation’s oldest honorary societies, the National Institute of Social Sciences awards Gold Medals to men and women whose lives have manifested the highest achievements and who have made significant contributions to society and humanity. This year’s honorees joined a distinguished, diverse pantheon of honorees that stretches back more than a century, to 1913.

The mission of the National Institute is to promote the study of the social sciences, to support social science research and discussion, and to honor individuals who have rendered distinguished service to humanity. In addition to awarding Gold Medals, the National Institute provides scholarships and grants to scholars in the social sciences, and organizes virtual and in-person educational events and round tables on important societal issues. For more information, visit www.socialsciencesinstitute.org.