Profile of Fred Matser

Fred Matser is a humanitarian who has made it his life's work to contribute towards creating a more functional society by means of inspiration and empowerment. Matser has a background in business having had a successful full-time career from 1964-1982 with Johan Matser BV, one of the largest real estate development companies in the Netherlands at that time. Matser headed this company from a young age, secured many multi-million euro contracts and received widespread acclaim for various innovative and pioneering building projects carried out under his leadership. Matser still holds various business positions including Director of Sofam Beheer BV, a Dutch management and holding company.

Matser has been involved in charitable activities for much of his adult life and from the early to mid- eighties held the voluntary position of Executive Chairman of the Child Alive Program for the League of Red Cross & Red Crescent societies at their headquarters in Geneva. This program promoted the implementation of oral rehydration therapy and contributed to a huge worldwide reduction in child morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoea-induced dehydration. The prestigious UNICEF Maurice Pate Award was given for this programme in 1986.

From the mid 80's Matser made the decision to donate substantial sums of money and time to establish foundations aimed at the improvement of society. To date he has been the initiator or co-creator of over 15 foundations with projects spanning the fields of healthcare, environment, conservation, peace and global transformation. For this work he has received the Van Emden Prize ( Holland -1995) and the International Caring Award ( USA - 1992).

Matser has also participated, alongside various state, religious and economic leaders and Nobel-prize-winners, in several major world forums for the promotion of global harmony including the State of the World Forum and its International Commission on Globalization.

Currently Matser is most active with The Fred Foundation and is also involved in writing and lecturing aimed at raising global consciousness. Matser is the author of the booklet Some Thoughts on Creation (1995) and a new book One of a Billion... due to be published next year. Matser has lectured at the renowned University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland (USA) currently known as Wisdom University from where he received an honorary doctorate in 1999.

• Weblinks
• Fred Foundation
• Commission on Globalization
• Wisdom University