Award Ceremony - October 7th, 2011

 

18.00 hrs : The press conference begins prior to the 2011 Award Ceremony which is to take place this year at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

 

 

18.30 hrs: The guests take their seats in the Salle des Princes at the Grimaldi Forum. Once again this year, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Award Ceremony meets with great success and many guests attend this major event.

 

After the screening of Disneynature’s movie “African cats”, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco will present his Foundation’s three awards. Since 2008, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Awards have honoured various individuals for their exemplary action in favour of the environment and the protection of the planet. The trophy to be presented at this year’s award ceremony was sculpted by Gilles Chabrier especially for the event.

19.05 hrs : H.S.H Prince Albert II arrives to the applause of the entire auditorium in appreciation of his commitment towards preserving our planet’s environment.

 

19.10 hrs: Screening of a film presenting the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

 

19.15 hrs: Presentation of Disneynature's film by Mr Simon King and aMs Marguerite Smits Van Oyen, cameraman and production assistant, in order to impress upon the audience the importance of saving the species featuring in the film, whic was produced in Kenya.

19.30 hrs: Screening of the film "African Cats".

20.45 hrs: Address by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco

" Each one of us, in his/her own way, epitomises the need to turn towards others and remember that our fight for the environment is, at the same time, also a fight for humanity.  An essential fight to enable future generations to continue living on our beautiful planet." HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco

 

 

 

21.15 hrs: Climate Change Award

David Suzuki (Canada), PhD and the president of the David Suzuki Foundation, is a renowned scientist and environmentalist. An internationally respected geneticist, he has won many awards for his work. His career as the creator and host of award-winning scientific programmes and films geared towards a non-specialist audience has earned him consistent high acclaim over the last thirty years.

 

(...) Can we demonstrate our maturity as a species and rediscover our home, not as a source of endless resources and opportunity, but as a sacred place, the source and sustenance of all life, a place of beauty and magic and wonder, the only place we know in the universe that nurtures and sustains life.  That is the challenge of our time. (...)

 

21.30 hrs: Biodiversity Award

Gretchen Daily(United States), holding a PhD in biological sciences from Stanford University, divides her time between scientific research, teaching, public education and working with leaders to advance practical approaches to environmental challenges. Her scientific research is focused on the future dynamics of biodiversity change. Professor Daily chairs the “Natural Capital” project whose goal is to align economic forces with conservation.  This project is being developed in various sites worldwide where biodiversity is under threat (China, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Tanzania and the United States)

 

 

 

(...) Given the urgency of our problems, I keep wondering how to open up the easiest path:  imitation.  Doing so requires something hard:  moving from contemplation to action, and lighting a way.  This means taking heroic action, with compassion and a vision for improving the world, and sparking others to do the same.  There’s not enough luck in the universe to avoid all of Life’s bitterness, but I hope that in pressing on the first two pathways we can avert the worst and help secure the future for our children and their children. (...)

 

21.45 hrs: Water Award

 

Andras Szollosi-Nagy(Hungary), rector of the UNESCO-IHE Institute for water education, has widely contributed to reforming multidisciplinary education on water resources for the benefit of developing countries.Over the past 17 years, as the governor of the World Water Council, he has helped to draw attention to the water issue in the world and to raise the awareness of both the public and political decision-makers about this matter.

 

 

(...) Water connects and does not divide. It connects, for instance the three of us here tonight, involved in ocean, biodiversity and water research. It also connects all the natural and social cycles. Therefore, we have to unite our knowledge and make this simple fact recognized from elementary schools to ministerial cabinets for appropriate action. The way to do that is through improved water education at all levels. (...)

 

22.00 hrs: End of the 2011 Award Ceremony