About the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation

Gathering together during the ITU’s World Communications Year in 1983, the founders of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation took their inspiration from an individual whose range of creativity is unimaginably wide. At one extreme, the mathematician and physicist who, at age 28, stunned the scientific community with his precise – and later, proven - portrayal of escape from Earth’s gravity and insertion of satellites into geostationary (now “Clarke”) orbit. At the other, the most inspiring science fiction writer of his age, relentless in his profound faith in humanity’s ability to meet, even to elevate, its moral obligations to the planet and the universe in which we live.

For all involved at the beginning, and for all who have followed, the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation represents an endless opportunity to enhance Sir Arthur Clarke’s legacy, and to share that opportunity with like-minded institutions. With that principal in mind, the Foundation has formed alliances with respected groups in many nations. Among them are,

• The Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies, affiliated with the University of Moratua, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Established by an Act of Parliament in 1984 to accelerate the process of introduction and development of Communications, Computers, Energy, Space Technologies and Robotics in the nation. Many of the Foundation’s Arthur C. Clarke Lectures were delivered at the Institute in Moratua. http://www.accimt.ac.lk/about.html
• The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation of Great Britain, was formed to promote the work and life of Sir Arthur in the country of his birth and childhood. Located at Dene’s Court, Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, it is also the home of the “Clarkives” – the family’s large collection of Clarke manuscripts, books and media. In 2004, this U.K. foundation dissolved to become part of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation represented by this website.
• University of Surrey Space Technology Centre, Guildford, Surrey, U.K., a leading resource for design, manufacture and training in small satellites for a variety of communications and earth sensing objectives.
• Rocket Publishing Company, Taunton, Somerset, U.K., organized to administer publications of Arthur C. Clarke, also a supporter of the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Science Fiction. At first supervised by Sir Arthur’s brother, Fred Clarke, it is now directed by Sir Arthur’s niece, Angela (“Angie”) Edwards.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (“JICA”), established in 1974, now transformed to the National Institute for Information and Communication Technology under the nation’s new framework for “Independent Administrative Institutions.”
• And, Communications Research Centre of Canada Communications Research Lab of Japan Japan-US Telecommunications Research Institute International Communications Center, San Diego State University Japan U.S. Science, Technology and Space Applications Program

A History of the Foundation (Word document or Flash Paper)

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