British philanthropist Trevor Pears, CMG, will be among ten distinguished figures to receive honorary doctor of philosophy degrees on Sunday, June 19th, at the opening session of the 74th meeting of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Board of Governors.

According to Hebrew University president, Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson, the honorary doctorate is being awarded to him “in recognition of his outstanding commitment to social justice and in tribute to his profound friendship for Israel and the Hebrew University.”

He is the executive chair of Pears Foundation, which he established with his brothers Mark and David. He is a staunch proponent of international development, while Pears Foundation has also played an important role in campaigns against genocide.

In the field of international development, Pears has become a strategic partner of the Hebrew University in harnessing Israeli knowledge and expertise to help address major challenges facing the developing world.

In Britain, the Foundation has invested in educational programs that build understanding between people of different backgrounds. These include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Shared Futures which links children across faiths, and the Jewish Social Action Hub (JHub) which supports social action and innovation among British Jews.