2009 Awardee Profiles
Posted on Tuesday March 3, 2009
| The Marshall Legacy Institute |
Award for Institutional Excellence |
The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) was formed in 1997, the 50th Anniversary year of the Marshall Plan, to extend the vision and legacy of George C. Marshall into the 21st Century. MLI seeks to build local capacity in post-conflict societies to restore hope, alleviate suffering and nurture stability. The current focus is on helping severely contaminated countries by providing resources and training to reduce the scourge of landmines.
To date, MLI has donated over 110 mine detection dogs (MDDs) to support landmine clearance operations in mine-affected countries around the world, including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Eritrea, Lebanon, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Zambia and Thailand. In Lebanon, six highly trained dogs arrived in May 2008 to begin the lifesaving work of “sniffing out” landmines, to replace dogs given in 2001 to the Lebanon Mine Action Center. Three of the dogs were sponsored by schoolchildren through CHAMPS, MLI’s Children Against Mines Program.
| United Nations Relief and Works Agency |
Award for International Commitment |
UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) has for sixty years provided education, healthcare, social services and emergency aid to over 4.6 million refugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. By far the largest UN operation in the Middle East, UNRWA employs over 29,000 staff, almost all of them refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities--as teachers, doctors, nurses or social workers.
During the recent conflict in Gaza, UNRWA’s humanitarian mission was tested at all levels, and was the principal source of relief and recovery for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians affected by the hostilities. UNRWA staff worked tirelessly, often at grave personal risk, during the attacks; since the ceasefire they have been working to restore education and primary health care, provide emergency food aid, cash assistance and job creation programs, repair civilian homes and UNRWA facilities, and offer psycho-social support to the most traumatized Gazans, including to children in UNRWA schools.
| Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni |
Najeeb Halaby Award for Public Service |
Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, a physician, scientist and world-renowned leader in radiology research, served as director of the National Institutes of Health from 2002 until 2008. He led the agency through a challenging period that required innovative solutions to transform basic and clinical research into tangible benefits for patients and their families. One of the hallmarks of his tenure is the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, which brought together all of the NIH 27 Institutes and Centers to fund compelling research initiatives that could have a major impact on science, but that no single institute could tackle alone.
Prior to joining the NIH, Dr. Zerhouni held senior positions at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He was a consultant to the White House under President Ronald Reagan and in 1988 to the World Health Organization. Since 2000, Dr. Zerhouni has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine and served on the National Cancer Institute's Board of Scientific Advisors from 1998-2002. After leaving the NIH, he joined the board of trustees for King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) which is slated to open in the fall of 2009.
| Mr. Michael M. Kaiser |
Award for Individual Achievement |
Michael M. Kaiser is being honored for his vision and leadership in producing Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World, a three-week festival held in early 2009 featuring the arts and cultures of Arab society. Recognizing the vital importance of moving beyond political boundaries to pursue broader awareness of the Arab world, Mr. Kaiser launched a four year endeavor to bring to light a heritage that is both ancient and contemporary, yet not well known in the West. He fought to bring to center stage the artists, gifts, experiences and essences that define not just the Arab world, but demonstrate the communal values that link humanity. The resounding success of Arabesque validated his vision and determination to show Americans the richness of Arab culture throughout history and its vibrancy today.
As President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since 2001, Mr. Kaiser has dedicated passion and attention to programs that advance the visibility and capacity of culturally specific arts organizations in the U.S. and globally. His impressive career in arts management includes leadership of London’s Royal Opera House, the American Ballet Theater and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.
Mr. Kaiser’s numerous awards include the Helen Hayes Washington Post Award for Innovative Leadership in the Theater Community, Washingtonian of the Year, US Department of State Citation, and in 2006 was named Impresario of the Year by Musical America.
