Aspen, CO, July 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Aspen Institute and Anne Welsh McNulty announced the 11th annual John P. McNulty Prize Laureates, four extraordinary individuals who have effectively leveraged their expertise and entrepreneurialism to create meaningful change across the world.
From giving Indian voters and policymakers access to transparency and truth; to providing New York City and Baltimore schoolchildren with glasses so they can see well enough to learn; to amplifying the arts as a means to move Rwanda and other countries from trauma to understanding, to teaching inclusive civic values to teenagers in Australia and the US, all of the 2018 Laureates are equipping individuals and communities with the tools they need to determine their own paths.
“Hope Azeda, Dave Gilboa, Mehrdad Baghai and Govindraj Ethiraj have answered the call to use their talents, resources and platforms to expand the reach of opportunity to people and communities around the world. By removing economic and social barriers, the Laureates are making the world healthier, fairer and more open,” said Anne Welsh McNulty, President of the McNulty Foundation and Trustee of the Aspen Institute.
The McNulty Prize is given annually to honor the visionary work of Fellows of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. The 2018 Laureates will be recognized on July 25 at the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, and each Laureate will receive $25,000 to further his or her venture. An international jury, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, international statesman Olara Otunnu, and development expert Brizio Biondi-Morra will select the winner, whose venture will receive $100,000, and be recognized in November in New York City.
The 2018 Laureates:
UBUMUNTU ARTS | Rwanda
An artist, curator and leader in reconciliation efforts following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Hope Azeda’s Ubumuntu Arts Festival & Organization brings together performers from Rwanda and around the world to explore the trauma of conflict and the depths of the human experience.
HIGH RESOLVES | Australia, US
In response to rising intolerance, strategist and author Mehrdad Baghai co-founded High Resolves, a multi-year, hands-on educational intervention that immunizes high school students against racism and hatred, and trains them to be active agents of social change.
PUPILS PROJECT | United States
Warby Parker Co-Founder and Co-CEO Dave Gilboa partnered with the New York City and Baltimore public school systems to provide students critical access to vision care, and glasses, at no cost to their families, eliminating a persistent gap for schoolchildren.
blog.warbyparker.com/pupils-project-2018
INDIASPEND / BOOM / FACTCHECKER | India
Through three media ventures focused on debunking misinformation and fake news, fact-checking, and advancing public-interest journalism, media executive and journalist Govindraj Ethiraj is using a data-driven approach to improve public discourse and transparency in India.
indiaspend.com, boomlive.in, factchecker.in
The announcement will be celebrated on July 25 at the Resnick Aspen Action Forum. Watch the Laureates pitch their bold ideas, followed by an interview with Ford Foundation President & McNulty Prize juror Darren Walker at 2:45pm MDT on July 25: http://agln.aspeninstitute.org/live
About The John P. McNulty Prize
Founded by Anne Welsh McNulty in honor of her late husband John, the McNulty Prize celebrates the boldness and impact of individuals who are using their exceptional leadership abilities, entrepreneurial spirit and expertise to address the world’s toughest challenges.
Each year, the winner is selected by an international jury that has included Darren Walker, Mary Robinson, Bill Gates, Sr. and Sir Richard Branson. The winner receives $100,000 and each Laureate receives $25,000 to further his or her venture. The Prize is given in partnership with the Aspen Institute, and recognizes exceptional leadership ventures undertaken by Fellows of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
For more information, visit mcnultyfound.org
Follow @McNultyPrize and #McNultyPrize.
The Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) is a growing, worldwide community of more than 3,000 high-integrity, entrepreneurial leaders from over 60 countries who share a commitment to enlightened leadership and to using their creativity, energy and resources to tackle the foremost societal challenges of our times. Fellows convene annually at the AGLN’s flagship event, the Resnick Aspen Action Forum. For more information, visit agln.aspeninstitute.org.
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org