Join Us Online - May 9th - to Celebrate Eva Haller's 96th Birthday

Eva HallerMY HERO 

CONTACT:                                                                                                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jeanne Meyers
Co-founder
The MY HERO Project
[email protected]

MAY 8, 2026 - LAGUNA BEACH, CA - Join us online Saturday, May 9th, as we celebrate the 96th birthday of Eva Haller, a steadfast hero who transformed heartbreak and tragedy into a life of service and dedication to making the world better. Haller will join in conversation with Jeanne Meyers, Co-founder of The MY HERO Project. Meyers will share clips from her feature documentary, Eva Haller: A Work in Progress.
For an invitation to the salon, email [email protected].

Eva HallerEH 

The virtual celebration, which begins at 2pm PDT, is part of the Eva Haller Salon Series, a weekly Zoom gathering in which Haller brings together artists, scientists, scholars and journalists for online discussions.

Since 2020, Haller has produced, with Heidi Grochelle, a virtual Salon Series, now in its sixth season with more than 200 episodes. The salons bring together leaders from around the world who share their thoughts and ideas as artists, scientists, social activists and media creators.

Many of the salons have been archived on The MY HERO Project website. Speakers include: Nobel Laureate Jerry White, Global Educator and Author Esther Wojcicki, NYT Columnist Clyde Haberman, former Washington Post Editor Marty Barron, Author Ron Kovic, Asia Initiatives Founder Geeta Mehta, 19th Editor Errin Haines, Creative Visions Foundation Founder Kathy Eldon, Yasmine Sheriff, Author Frances Moore Lappé, Artist Dred Scott, Filmmaker Scott Frank and more.

The salons are held Saturday afternoons at 2pm Pacific time. 
For an invitation, email [email protected].

Eva HallerPhoto by Lekha Singh 

Eva Haller , born on May 9th, 1930, is revered by her family, her friends, and the countless people whose lives she's touched as a philanthropist and mentor. Her life as a child in Budapest was filled with music, art and culture, until World War II began. She idolized her older brother John, who was in the Hungarian resistance. He was killed by the Nazi’s. When Hungarian Nazi's invaded the Scottish boarding school for girls she was attending, she pleaded, “I am much too young and beautiful to die.” A soldier told her to run, and she escaped.

After the war, living in Soviet-occupied Hungary was difficult. At the age of 18, Haller boarded a train for Paris with a one-way ticket to Ecuador to stay with family. Eventually, she made her way to the United States, where she vowed to honor her brother's memory by becoming an advocate for human rights.

She cleaned houses in New York City while putting herself through college, all the while working to break the cycles of poverty and inequality. Being a steadfast advocate for the rights of women and minorities, she joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the historic march in Selma, Alabama, in 1965.

Eva and Yoel HallerMY HERO 

In 1968, Eva and her late husband Murray Roman started the Campaign Communications Institute of America. The business was very successful and they looked for a way to give back. They volunteered their expertise, promoting education and democracy for UNICEF in Southeast Asia and around the world.

Roman helped foster her deep commitment to education, social justice, and philanthropy. When he passed, she was heartbroken. Later, she met and married Dr. Yoel Haller. Together, they have mentored countless activists, including Craig Kielberger, a 12-year-old Canadian boy who wanted to put an end to child labor for an estimated 250 million children in the world. Kielberger founded the organization Free the Children, with Haller as the first board chair.

Haller has continued to support a wide range of causes. As a board member, she helped distinguished primatologist Jane Goodall build the Jane Goodall Institute.

Eva Haller and Jane GoodallEH 

For the last four decades, Haller has served as a trustee for the University of California, Santa Barbara, acting as a champion for arts and humanities. She currently serves on the boards of News Literacy Project, Asia Initiatives, Sing for Hope, Creative Visions Foundation and The MY HERO Project.

Eva Haller Women Transforming Media AwardMY HERO 

Haller annually sponsors the Women Transforming Media Award at the MY HERO International Film Festival. Through her generous award, students and professional filmmakers are recognized, with a cash prize, for their outstanding short films about heroic women.

Submissions are open for 2026.
Early Deadline: June 1st

Eva Haller: A Work in ProgressMY HERO