PHILADELPHIA, PA (August 10, 2026) — The National Constitution Center today announced that longtime supporters Ira Lubert and Pamela Estadt intend to make a $2 million endowment gift to permanently fund the $100,000 prize presented annually to the recipient of the Center’s Liberty Medal.
For nearly two decades, Lubert and Estadt have sponsored the Liberty Medal’s annual prize. This new gift will transform that longstanding commitment into a permanent endowment, ensuring that future generations can continue to celebrate and learn from extraordinary champions of liberty.
“For nearly four decades, the Liberty Medal has celebrated individuals and organizations whose courage and leadership remind us that liberty must be defended and renewed by every generation,” said Vince Stango, interim president and CEO of the National Constitution Center. “Ira and Pam have long believed deeply in that mission. With this extraordinary gift, they are ensuring that the Liberty Medal will continue to honor those who put the ideals of liberty into action and inspire others to do the same. We are profoundly grateful for their generosity, friendship, and longstanding commitment to the Center.”
Established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution and hosted by the National Constitution Center since 2006, the Liberty Medal honors individuals and organizations of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty for people around the globe.
This year, the Center awarded its 38th annual Liberty Medal to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, honoring his commitment to advancing religious liberty and reflecting on how America’s founding ideals of freedom of religion, thought, and expression continue to resonate around the world. The public ceremony, held July 3 at the National Constitution Center, brought together civic and interfaith leaders to celebrate those enduring principles.
“Liberty is never something we can take for granted. It endures because there are people willing to stand up for it, defend it, and remind us why it matters,” said Ira Lubert. “Pam and I have been proud to support the Liberty Medal because it holds up those examples of courage for all of us to see. We hope this gift will ensure that generations from now, the Liberty Medal is still honoring those who defend liberty and inspiring others to do the same.”
The Liberty Medal’s distinguished roster of recipients includes Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Senator John McCain, Representative John Lewis, former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, and His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. Other recipients include champions of democracy, human rights advocates, religious leaders, public servants, and organizations whose work has advanced liberty around the world.
“The Liberty Medal is one of Philadelphia’s great civic traditions and one of the National Constitution Center’s most powerful expressions of its mission,” said William R. Sasso, National Constitution Center trustee and chairman emeritus of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP. “Stradley Ronon has been a proud, longtime supporter of both the Center and the Liberty Medal, so I have seen firsthand the significance of this award and the extraordinary people it has brought to Philadelphia. Ira and Pam have been among its most steadfast champions. Their remarkable generosity will ensure that the Medal continues to honor courageous leaders, celebrate the enduring importance of liberty, and inspire generations to come.”
The annual $100,000 prize recognizes the recipient’s service to the cause of liberty and has often been directed by recipients to charitable and humanitarian organizations. The new endowment will provide permanent support for the prize, while contributions from corporations, foundations, and individuals will continue to support the Liberty Medal ceremony and the ongoing work of the National Constitution Center.
The endowment builds upon Lubert and Estadt’s longstanding support of the National Constitution Center and the Liberty Medal.
About the Liberty Medal
The Liberty Medal, established in 1988 and hosted by the National Constitution Center since 2006, recognizes and celebrates individuals and organizations of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty for people around the globe. The Medal’s distinguished roster of recipients includes many of the people and organizations that have shaped and guided the world over nearly four decades.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
