AL GORE, ISRAELI AUTHOR AMOS OZ WIN DAN DAVID PRIZE
By Tamara Traubmann
Ha’aretz
Feb 12 2008
Israel
U.S. vice president turned green activist Al Gore and internationally
renowned Israeli author Amos Oz were named Tuesday as two of the
recipients of the annual Dan David Prize.
Gore was awarded the prize for Social Responsibility with Particular
Emphasis on the Environment over his international campaign to raise
awareness on the effects of global warming.
The prize’s Web site called Gore "probably the single individual who
has done most to create greater worldwide awareness of the detrimental
effects that man’s energy consumption has had on the environment,
and the imperative for individuals and governments to take drastic
action to avert climatic disaster."
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Oz was awarded the prize for Creative Rendering of the Past, along
with British Jewish playwright Tom Stoppard and Canadian-Armenian
film maker Atom Egoyan.
Gore was informed of the selection during a video conference with
businessman Dan David, and said he would donate his entire $1 million
prize to non-profit organizations that are seeking solutions to the
climate crisis.
The prize awards $1 million to recipients in three categories,
pertaining to the past, present and future. Professors Ellen
Moseley-Thompson, Lonnie G. Thompson, and Geoffrey Eglinton were
awarded the prize for Geosciences.
The Dan David Prize is an international enterprise run by the Dan
David Foundation, Tel Aviv University, and the French Culture Ministry.
"The prizes are granted to individuals or institutions with proven,
exceptional, distinct excellence in the sciences, arts, and humanities
that have made an outstanding contribution to humanity," according
to the prize Web site.
"Laureates donate 10 percent of their prize money to graduate students
in their respective fields, thereby contributing to the community
and fostering a new generation of scholars."
Gore said he would attend the awards ceremony, to be held at Tel Aviv
University in May with the participation of President Shimon Peres