Dr. Palmer is also a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. Before joining Cato, he was a vice president of the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. Until the pandemic he traveled extensively to work with NGOs promoting liberal democracy and locally led economic development, which he had been doing since before the end of the USSR and its empire. He recently moved to Thailand with his husband, where, among many other duties working for the cause of human freedom, he is working to plant Atlas Network’s nascent Center for Asia and Oceania.
"Tom has spent decades planting and watering the seeds of liberty in dozens of countries," said Atlas Network CEO Brad Lips. "There are people all over the globe who are thrilled to see Tom receiving this well-earned honor. Of course, I am also excited about what's next for Tom, especially the work we are scaling up in Asia and Oceania under his leadership."
Sir Antony Fisher, Atlas Network’s founder, championed the ideas of free enterprise, individual liberty, and opportunity for all. He dedicated his life to fighting socialism by laying the intellectual groundwork for lasting political change to take root by establishing independent research institutes that focused on innovative, market-based perspectives to public policy issues. In 1955, Sir Antony founded the Institute of Economic Affairs in London, and through his efforts, other think tanks began to proliferate throughout the world. He founded Atlas Network in 1981 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth shortly before his death in 1988.
The 2021 Sir Antony Fisher Achievement Award was presented on Tuesday, November 14, during Atlas Network’s gala Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner.
