Champion of Western Values: Chris DeMuth Honored with the Beaconsfield Prize

9/16/2025

AHA Foundation is delighted to congratulate our Board of Trustees Emeritus Chair and long‑time champion, Christopher DeMuth, on receiving the Beaconsfield Prize for Distinguished Public Service and Letters from the Edmund Burke Foundation in recognition of his lifetime of service and intellectual leadership. This prestigious award honors outstanding public figures who have worked to revive and restore the Anglo‑American conservative tradition through contributions to public life and intellectual leadership. 

Over his distinguished career, Chris has been a voice for principled governance, civic responsibility, and public policy reform. His work has shaped discourse in law, economics, and education. He has guided numerous organizations with a steady commitment to principles that transcend partisanship: integrity in leadership, reasoned debate, and a belief that sound policy must be grounded in both moral clarity and practical wisdom. AHA Foundation is proud to be among the many organizations shaped by his support and guidance. 

During his tenure as Board Chair, Chris guided the AHA Foundation’s evolution into the organization it is today—helping to bring Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s vision from idea to reality. As he reflected, “I was one of the first of millions of Americans to encounter Ayaan Hirsi Ali and to be greatly moved by her bravery and affected by her thinking and writing.” From that first encounter, Chris recognized the power of her unique perspectives and worked tirelessly through the Foundation to elevate her voice, ensuring her ideas inspired action and lasting impact. His strategic insight and steadfast commitment positioned the AHA Foundation as a leading voice in advancing Western liberalism and defending against illiberal ideologies.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, founder of the AHA Foundation, shared her congratulations:

“Chris’s leadership has been a gift to every organization he has touched, and the AHA Foundation is no exception. I am delighted to see him honored with the Beaconsfield Prize—a recognition he so richly deserves.”

This award not only celebrates Chris’s individual achievements but also reflects the enduring impact of principled leadership on the institutions and causes he has championed.