For a detailed overview of the project’s concept, production timeline, delivery strategy, and financing structure, please consult the presentation booklet prepared by GEDEON Experiences below.
Lady Liberty Initiative 2026
A transatlantic initiative for the 140th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty
Immersive Statue of Liberty VR Experience: A Statue for Liberty
This page highlights the principal pillar of the Lady Liberty Initiative in partnership with GEDEON Experiences, which draws on the powerful symbolism of the Statue of Liberty, an emblem of freedom, hope, and transatlantic unity. Discover the project overview, details on governance, reporting, and the steering committee as well as additional resources.
For the 140th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty and 250th Anniversary of American Independance, GEDEON Experiences is producing a new virtual reality experience (A Statue for Liberty) exploring the history and creation of the Statue of Liberty alongside the release of a corresponding documentary and associated exhibitions scheduled for the Fall of 2026 at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. The project is supported by international media partners including ARTE and PBS.
The partnership between GEDEON and the FEU is conceived as a forward-looking collaboration extending beyond the Statue of Liberty’s anniversary. It seeks to foster sustained cultural exchange and public engagement reflecting a shared commitment to preserving and celebrating common heritage, democratic values, and the enduring dialogue between Europe and the United States. By combining expertise and institutional networks, this collaboration develops innovative cultural and artistic content designed to promote intercultural dialogue, highlight creative talents, and deepen public understanding of the historical, artistic, and societal dimensions shaping Franco-American relations.
GEDEON "A Statue for Liberty" Presentations
Support the initiative
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You can make your donation in euros here through HelloAsso, which will send you your tax receipt upon reception of donation.
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You can make your donation is US Dollars here through Every.org (partner of Myraid USA), which will send you your tax receipt upon reception of donation.
Through the FEU’s fiscal agent, Myriad USA, donations from the US are accepted with tax deduction eligiliby to the extent permitted by law.
Other Details
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The immersive VR experience (“A Statue for Liberty”) and companion documentary represent a major step forward in the FEU’s cultural strategy. Developed by GEDEON Experiences and an international network of historians, digital artists, and cultural institutions, the project transforms historical research into an accessible educational and artistic experience for global audiences. “A Statue for Liberty” aims to deepen public understanding of science, engineering, and collaborative innovation by reconstructing the artistic and industrial processes behind the creation of the Statue of Liberty.
Rather than presenting history as static, the experience reveals the Statue’s creation as a collective endeavor involving artists, engineers, and transatlantic collaboration. By visualizing lost workshops, fabrication techniques, and design processes through advanced 3D modeling, the project allows audiences to explore the monument’s origins in a dynamic and experiential way.
Key components of the project include:
- Archival and scientific research guiding historically accurate reconstructions
- Digital modeling of the Gaget workshops and fabrication environments
- Development of a collective free-roaming VR experience for museums and cultural institutions
- Production and international distribution of a documentary film (90-minute and 52-minute formats)
- Educational resources and public programming for museums, universities, and cultural audiences
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The immersive experience and documentary extend beyond exhibition. The elements of this project translate complex historical and scientific knowledge into engaging educational tools, expanding access to cultural heritage while encouraging interdisciplinary learning. Their contribution includes:
- increasing public understanding of engineering, industrial innovation, and artistic collaboration in the nineteenth century
- creating reusable digital heritage resources for research, education, and cultural dissemination
- expanding international audiences for science and cultural heritage content
- strengthening Franco-American cooperation in historical research and science communication
Through these outcomes, the project reinforces the FEU’s broader objective: empowering artists, scholars, and cultural institutions to engage with history in ways that are inclusive, innovative, and globally relevant.
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The FEU plays a key institutional role in supporting the immersive VR experience, in alignment with its mission to foster transatlantic dialogue through cultural innovation, research, and artistic collaboration. Beyond financial participation, the FEU contributes to the project’s strategic development, international visibility, and cultural outreach. Its support includes:
- Hosting cultural activations and patron events in Paris and New York
- Supporting U.S.-based fundraising and donor engagement
- Contributing to institutional positioning and partnership development
- Providing grant writing and development assistance
- Activating its artistic, academic, and professional networks
Through this multifaceted involvement, the FEU helps position the project as both a technological innovation and a meaningful contribution to contemporary cultural mediation and Franco-American cultural diplomacy.
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Preparing for its centennial in 2030, the FEU has established a development strategy structured around three complementary pillars:
- Residence & Building Stewardship: Preserving and modernizing the historic Art Deco building while ensuring long-term sustainability and accessibility.
- Vivre Ensemble: Strengthening resident life through scholarships, inclusion initiatives, and community programming that support well-being and collaboration.
- Culture & Creation: Expanding artistic production, cultural programming, and innovative storytelling that reinforce Franco-American dialogue.
Together, these pillars position the FEU as both a historic residence and a forward-looking cultural institution where heritage, education, and creativity flourish.
Within this five-year vision, the FEU has launched the Lady Liberty Initiative, a multi-year philanthropic campaign designed to accelerate investment across the three strategic pillars. Anchored in symbolic anniversaries between 2026 and 2030, the initiative provides a structured framework for donors to support heritage preservation, resident life, and cultural innovation. The Culture & Creation pillar is embodied by a flagship project (“A Statue for Liberty”) developed in partnership with leading cultural and technological collaborators: an immersive virtual-reality experience and international documentary dedicated to the Franco-American history of the Statue of Liberty. In partnership with GEDEON Experiences, the Lady Liberty Initiative draws on the enduring symbolism of the Statue of Liberty to promote shared values of freedom, hope, and transatlantic unity through innovative artistic projects.
Governance & Reporting
The Lady Liberty Initiative operates under the legal and governance framework outlined in the Fondation des États-Unis Business Plan (2026–2030). All committees and project structures serve in an advisory and implementation capacity under the authority of the FEU Director and the FEU’s Board of Governors. As a foundation recognized as serving the public interest (FRUP), the FEU ensures that the project aligns with its cultural mission, philanthropic strategy, and educational objectives. Interested partners and stakeholders who wish to consult the full Business Plan (2026–2030) and its associated strategic and governance appendices are invited to contact the FEU Development Office at development@fondationdesetatsunis.org.
In order to enable U.S.-based donors to make tax-deductible contributions in full compliance with applicable U.S. laws, the Fondation des États-Unis relies on its fiscal agency relationship with Myriad USA, a U.S. public charity recognized under Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under this arrangement, Myriad USA establishes and administers a dedicated fund, commonly referred to as an “American Friends Fund,” to collect and manage donations from U.S.-based donors on behalf of the Fondation des États-Unis. Contributions to this fund may be made by check, wire transfer, credit card, appreciated securities, or legacy bequests. Donors may be eligible for U.S. income tax deductions to the extent permitted by law.
For U.S.-based donors, a detailed explanatory letter outlining the FEU’s fiscal agent, Myriad USA, is available below. This letter provides additional information regarding the fiscal agency structure and the mechanisms that enable U.S. tax-deductible contributions in compliance with applicable U.S. regulations.
Chair of US Steering and Development Committee
Richard Salomon is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vantage Point Consultants, Inc., a firm which has advised over 400 of the Fortune 500 on ways to optimize the expenditure of corporate legal dollars. A graduate of Carleton College and Harvard Law School, he is a prominent philanthropist and advocate for human rights and education. Mr Salomon co-founded the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, the third largest Holocaust Museum in the world, where he actively sits on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Renew Democracy Initiative (founded by chess icon and global activist Garry Kasparov), as a Senior Fellow and Chair of the Board of Senior Fellows of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights in Montreal, and on the Sen. Chuck Hagel Leadership Council of the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats. A frequent speaker and moderator, Mr. Salomon conducts many programs and events on a diverse range of topics for the 92Y, Temple Emanu-El’s Streicker Center, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, The Common Good, the JCC of Manhattan, and many other venerable institutions.
FEU Oversight Committee
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Dr. Frank S. Giaoui is the CEO and founder of Optimalex. A graduate of ESSEC Grande Ecole and a Doctor of Law in France (Paris 1) and the United States (Columbia University), he has worked in strategy consulting firms in Paris, London, Milan, and Boston. He specializes in international mergers and acquisitions and marketing-distribution strategies. As founder of an independent investment bank and co-founder of a private equity fund, he has carried out numerous financial engineering assignments in Europe, the United States, Africa, and Israel over the course of his 30-year career.
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Raymond Dowd is a partner at Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP in New York City. He specializes in estate law and cultural property restitution, with landmark cases involving the Estate of Doris Duke and Berlin’s Pergamon Museum. An adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, he serves on the boards of the FEU in Paris and the National Arts Club. He co-founded the Art Litigation and Dispute Resolution Institute and authored the Copyright Litigation Handbook. Mr. Dowd has led efforts to recover Holocaust-looted art, representing heirs of Fritz Grünbaum and Heinrich Rieger, and lectured at Paris I Sorbonne in 2024.