Programme News
Rolex Awards Celebrate 35th Anniversary
Michael Palin, president of the RGS and co-host of the event, drew parallels between the Rolex Awards and his organization. “They are both about extending our horizons — encouraging inspiration and innovation and new, original ways of thinking about the world.”
Rebecca Irvin, head of philanthropy at Rolex, further reinforced this point. “This is a moment of celebration both of the past and the future, emphasizing the enduring relationship between Rolex and the RGS that stretched back to the 1930s and included the ascent of the Everest summit by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. This event is also a celebration of the spirit of enterprise of the 115 remarkable men and women whom the Rolex Awards has supported over the past 35 years.”
Click here to read more about the event on the Rolex Awards website.
Nnaemeka Participates in Global Youth Innovation Network
Nnaemeka is currently in Cotonou, Benin, where he is taking part in the Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) on behalf of the UN International Fund for Agriculture Development. GYIN aims to reduce poverty among rural youth in Africa and the Americas by helping people engage in sustainable small-scale agribusinesses.
At the event, Nnaemeka plans to share his own agribusiness experiences with the Smallholders Foundation and expand his professional network. “There are a lot of creative and innovative ideas here,” he says. “And I'm keeping my eyes wide open for future Rolex Laureates.”
Click here to read more about GYIN.
Brukty’s Whiz Kids Workshop recognized in 2011 Tech Awards
More congratulations to Brukty are in order as she was just named a Laureate of The Tech Awards 2011 for her work with Whiz Kids Workshop – the organization behind “Tsehai Loves Learning”. Established in 2000, The Tech Awards recognizes 15 Laureates whose technical solutions benefit humanity in five categories: education, equality, environment, economic development and health.
The award was granted to Whiz Kids Workshop for its efforts to increase literacy and school retention rates in Ethiopia through “Tsehai’s Fidel School," a new system that teaches children to read and write in Amharic.
“We are humbled and honoured to receive this prestigious award. It deepens our belief that we’re on the right track, and our resolve to continue to develop programmes which improve the lives of children in Ethiopia or elsewhere in the world,” Brukty said.
Whiz Kids Workshop was selected from among 600 nominees representing 54 countries. Brukty and her fellow Laureates will be honoured at the annual Awards Gala in Santa Clara, California, on 20 October. Click here to learn more about The Tech Awards.
U.S. Filmmakers Producing SaveLife Documentary
In June, a team of film-makers from Denver, Colorado in the U.S., flew to Delhi to shoot a feature-length documentary on Piyush and the SaveLife Foundation. The film, The Golden Hour, follows Piyush and his team for three weeks as they work to reduce roadside fatalities in India. Indian writer/producer Roma Sur was inspired to make the film when she heard Piyush’s story on the radio. “The story struck a chord with me,” Roma says. “I could not believe that someone so young was doing something so incredible and selfless to make a difference in the community. To me, the story was about hope. It was about the fact that, in a society that worships larger-than-life Bollywood heroes, real-life heroes do exist.”
The SaveLife initiative holds special meaning to Roma because of its geography. “I had always known that my first feature documentary would be about a socially relevant issue related to my native country,” Roma says. “To me, this was that opportunity.”
The Golden Hour is currently in post-production. It is slated to be released worldwide in mid-2012. Learn more about the film at thegoldenhhourmovie.com.