Gold Mercury’s historic legacy

The pioneering international think tank and award organisation advancing Visionary Governance® since 1961. 

The need for Visionary Governance® as an essential leadership skill to create a better governed, more cooperative and peaceful world.

In the 1960s, Eduardo De Santis, an Italian film producer and entrepreneur with business interests spanning Italy, the United States, and Europe, engaged with global leaders, journalists, academics, and governments to advocate for a more ethical and anticipatory approach to decision-making and governance, aimed at improving international cooperation and enhancing global foresight to build a better global society.

Eduardo De Santis (seated right) at the 1982 Gold Mercury International Summit for Peace & Cooperation in Karachi, Pakistan.

Founding Gold Mercury International, the beginning of modern governance, corporate responsibility and planetary awareness.

In 1961, Eduardo De Santis, with the support of Italian President Giuseppe Saragat, founded Gold Mercury International. Its Founding Charter established the new entity as a forward-looking, independent international organisation and visionary governance think tank, dedicated to advancing anticipatory foresight for improved international governance, peace, and economic cooperation. Early Gold Mercury initiatives, supported by our research and Awards, focused on enhancing future foresight skills in government and business, promoting peaceful conflict resolution, fostering cooperation through trade, improving industrial workers' safety, increasing women's representation in management and society, ensuring responsible industrial waste disposal, and advancing labour relations.

MOVIE: Watch the movie about the history and legacy of Gold Mercury International.

The ‘Gold Mercury Statue’, the Symbol of the Organisation

Gold Mercury International adopted the Roman and Greek God Mercury (Hermes) as its symbol. Mercury was the mythological messenger of the gods and patron of trade and commerce regarded as a great mediator. The Flemish sculptor Jean Boulogne designed the original Gold Mercury statue (circa 1564). The symbol represents our values of visionary leadership, excellence in governance and peace through cooperation and commerce.

Global Summits for peace & cooperation through trade.

Gold Mercury International, with the support of Italian President Giuseppe Saragat, begins organising international Peace & Cooperation conferences to bring together nations, world leaders, businesses and civil society to discuss better governance practices and policies and advance economic trade. Over the last 50 years, Gold Mercury has organised hundreds of Summits and events around the world hosted by historic world leaders.

GOLD MERCURY HISTORIC SUMMITS

  • Gold Mercury Moscow Summit 1980 held at the Kremlin

    Gold Mercury Moscow Summit 1980 held at the Kremlin

  • Gold Mercury Summit Poster London 2006

  • Gold Mercury Summit Posters Cairo and Moscow

    Gold Mercury Summit Posters Cairo and Moscow

  • Gold Mercury Summit 1981, Sofia, Bulgaria.

  • Gold Mercury Moscow Summit 1980

  • Gold Mercury Summit 1979, El Cairo, Egypt.

  • Gold Mercury Summit 2006, Venice, Italy. Dr. Robert Gallo, co-discoverer of HIV (third from right).

    Gold Mercury Science Summit 2006, Venice, Italy, honoring Dr. Robert Gallo, co-discoverer of HIV virus (third from right).

  • Gold Mercury Summit, Rome, Italy.

    Gold Mercury Poster for Roma Summit 1961

Creating the First Global Awards for ‘Visionary Governance’

Eduardo De Santis established the Gold Mercury International Awards to honour Visionary Governance and ethical leadership advancing better international relations. The inaugural Awards were presented in Rome in November 1961 at the Quirinale Palace under the auspices of Italian President Giuseppe Saragat. These Awards recognised the pioneering initiatives of companies and governments in promoting peace, cooperation, good governance, and international trade. Today, the Gold Mercury Awards are globally acclaimed as a symbol of Visionary Governance and ethical leadership.

Our historic legacy working with world leaders and heads of state and government.

Over the years, Gold Mercury International has been honoured by the patronage and participation in its Peace and Cooperation Summits in the main capitals of the world by many world leaders and historical figures, including US President Ronald Reagan, H.M. King Juan Carlos I of Spain, H.E. Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, United Nations Secretary-General Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali, Italian Presidents H.E. Giovanni Leone and H.E. Giuseppe Saragat, Sheikh Khalifa bin Sulman Al-Khalifia of Bahrain and Leonid Brezhnev, Supreme Leader of the Soviet Union.

GOLD MERCURY AND WORLD LEADERS

  • Anwar Sadat, Egypt Gold Mercury Award

    Anwar Sadat, 3rd President of Egypt

    1979 | Gold Mercury Award for Peace & Security for the Camp David Accords

  • Leonid Brezhnev, Soviet Leader

    1980 | Gold Mercury Award for Global Peace & Security for limiting the use of Nuclear Weapons

  • Alvaro Uribe Velez, President of Colombia

    2009 | Gold Mercury Award for Peace and Security

  • Queen Sofia of Spain Gold Mercury Award

    Queen Sofia of Spain

    1984 | Gold Mercury Award for Culture and Humanitarian Affairs. For her charity work towards children and the Queen Sofia Foundation.

  • Giuseppe Saragat, President of Italy, Gold Mercury Award

    Giuseppe Saragat, President of Italy

    International Relations

  • Gold Mercury Award, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States

    Ronald Reagan, President of the United States

    1982 | Gold Mercury Award for Peace and Security. Reagan Negotiated with Soviet Leader Gorbachev a treaty to eliminate intermediate-range nuclear missiles.

The ‘Gold Mercury Handshake badge’, a symbol of ‘Peace & Cooperation’ in a complex world.

At the commencement of proceedings at our historic Summits, representatives from Gold Mercury International would approach each delegate, handing them a small badge adorned with the emblem of a handshake. Known as the ‘Peace and Cooperation Handshake’ badge, it symbolised the commitment of all present to exchange ideas and work together for the greater good, forging connections with delegates from countries they had once viewed as adversaries. Today, the Peace and Cooperation Handshake badge serves as a reminder that, despite the world's many challenges and disagreements, there is always hope for a brighter future – as long as people are willing to reach out and shake hands in friendship and solidarity.

Preparing to celebrate our 65th Anniversary in 2026.

Gold Mercury proudly celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021, marking six decades of pioneering visionary leadership in global governance. We now look forward to our 65th anniversary in 2026. Eduardo De Santis, our founder and Chairman, was honoured by the Italian Republic with the ‘Order of the Italian Star’ (Ordine della Stella d’Italia – OSI) for his services to the nation by the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano. The ‘Order of the Italian Star’ is Italy’s oldest national honour and was established by the Italian Republic in 1947, soon after the end of the Second World War.

Eduardo De Santis, Founder and Chairman of Gold Mercury International received the ‘Order of the Italian Star’ from the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano.

Increasing our Visionary Governance® capacity. Launch of GLOGO®
The Global Governance Monitoring System.

We are proud to announce the launch of GLOGO®, the Global Governance Monitoring System—a unique framework designed to make sense of global complexity. This innovative system represents a significant leap in our Visionary Governance® capabilities, enabling leaders and organisations to monitor, assess, and improve governance frameworks on a global scale. GLOGO® is designed to address complex global challenges and drive transformative actions for a sustainable, ethical, and peaceful future. GLOGO® includes a governance and ethical rating and alert system to understand the impact of decisions and events that affect our world’s sustainable future.

“I am honoured that Gold Mercury International mention and reward my efforts to promote peace with freedom, a goal toward which the people of the United States strive. Gold Mercury is correct in saying that only through international cooperation can peace with freedom become a reality.”

Ronald Reagan 40th President of the United States of America