News Marking the 10th series of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, Rolex has announced the winners of this global initiative - four men and one woman from Brazil, Canada, France, South Africa, and the United States.
Each has received $ 100,000 and a specially inscribed, gold Rolex chronometer at a gala ceremony in Tokyo where they were honoured for their groundbreaking projects in the areas of science, the environment, exploration and cultural heritage. The five Laureates were selected from almost 1,400 applicants from 113 countries by an international panel of prominent scientists and explorers.
These Laureates, like the 45 Laureates who have preceded them since Rolex established the programme in 1976, represent diverse cultures and spheres of interest. This year's prize-winners are: Michel André, a French biologist who has created an innovative system to prevent collisions between whales and ships; José Márcio Ayres, a Brazilian forest ecologist who is spearheading the establishment of the world's biggest rainforest corridor by involving local residents; Dave Irvine-Halliday, a Canadian electrical engineer who is supplying inexpensive lighting systems to homes and schools in developing countries; Lindy Rodwell, a South African zoologist who is preserving cranes and their habitats throughout central and southern Africa, as well as the lifestyles of the local people; and Gordon Sato, an eminent, retired American cellular and molecular biologist who is helping the people of Eritrea establish agriculture based on mangroves.
"Despite the diversity inherent in the Rolex Awards, the Laureates all have in common the spirit of enterprise that underpins the programme," said Patrick Heiniger, chief executive officer of Rolex and chairman of the Selection Committee. "Whether saving whales or endangered birds, improving living standards in remote villages, safeguarding our precious rainforests, or developing low-tech agricultural methods in one of the world's most impoverished countries, these five individuals have demonstrated their intent to improve our planet and the human condition - the underlying objective of the Awards."
In addition to the prizes awarded to the 2002 Laureates, five Associate Laureates will each receive $ 35,000 and a steel-and-gold Rolex chronometer. These runners-up will be honoured with presentations in their own countries in the months ahead.
The 2002 Associate Laureates, three men and two women, are: Sebastian Chuwa (Tanzania); Ilse Köhler-Rollefson (Germany); Makoto Murase (Japan); Martha Ruiz Corzo (Mexico); and Geoffrey Summers (United Kingdom). Their projects range from saving the camels in the Indian state of Rajasthan to applying innovative archaeological methods to map and explore an Iron-Age city in Turkey or recycle rainfall in cities.
Each of the award-winning projects was studied and discussed by the independant, voluntary jury, the 2002 Selection Committee, ten experts whose own spirit of enterprise is exemplary. "The jury members were particularly sensitive to environmental issues this year", reported Patrick Heiniger. "They were impressed by the importance the winning candidates placed on local people living and working in harmony with nature in order to ensure sustainable development".
Joining Patrick Heiniger on the 2002 Selection Committee were Dr Juan Luis Arsuaga, Spanish palaeoanthropologist and biologist; Laurence de la Ferrière, French alpinist and explorer; Dr Laila EI-Hamamsy, cultural anthropologist from Egypt; Baroness Susan Greenfield, British neuroscientist; Liu Thai Ker, Singaporean architect-planner and environmentalist; Fumihiko Maki, Japanese architect; Professor Chie Nakane, Japanese social anthropologist; Dr Oscar Rodriguez, explorer and sports physician from Mexico; Dr Anatoly M. Sagalevitch, Russian oceanologist and pioneer explorer of deep oceans, and Dr Neil de Grasse Tyson, an American astrophysicist.
In June this year, Rolex invited applications from enterprising men and women the world over for the 11th Awards cycle, the 2004 Rolex Awards. The biennial programme provides financial support and global recognition to visionary and dedicated individuals whose ongoing working projects are original and feasible, and have a positive impact on the surrounding community and beyond. The regional deadlines for entries for the 11th Rolex Awards cycle are: Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East, May 31, 2003; Africa and the Americas, July 31, 2003; Western and Eastern Europe, September 30, 2003.
November 07, 2002
