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The First Annual WON Award

circle2The First WON Award
October 13th, 2010 Wednesday 9:30am - 6pm

WON is represented by a circle as a symbol of unity, wholeness, and one world community.  The Won Award has been established to honor those who made outstanding contributions to humanity, promoting peace and understanding among communities, and furthering human rights, access to education and empowerment of women worldwide.

This year’s award will be presented to four meritorious women in recognition of their lifetime commitment and their achievements towards gender equality. The award ceremony will take place on the occasion of the “First Annual Women Leaders Summit on the Millennium Development Goals” that will be held on October 13, 2010, at the New York’s  location of Won Buddhism International.

Sponsored by the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Religions for Peace-International, the UN Millennium Campaign, Won Buddhism International and World Culture Open, the conference aims to build a supportive network of women leaders engaged to achieve gender equality in all aspects of human life.

*Invitation Only

 2010 Awardees

  

Jude_CurrivanJude Currivan, Ph.D. is a cosmologist, healer and author. She has researched consciousness and metaphysics since childhood. During a successful international business career - culminated in her being the most senior business woman in the UK - she obtained extensive experience on managing organizational and cultural change; she eventually chose to take her work beyond the corporate world in 1997.

The transformational experiences of a series of sacred journeys in the period 2001-2006 are described in her book The 13th Step. Dr. Currivan is also the author of The Wave, The 8th Chakra and CosMos. Her work reconciles leading edge science, and research into consciousness and spiritual wisdom to the purpose of empowering others, raising awareness and facilitating harmony on a personal and collective level.

She holds a Ph.D. in Archaeology from University of Reading and a Master’s Degree in Physics from Oxford University.

  

 

Beverly_Guy-SheftallBeverly Guy-Sheftall, Ph.D. is the president of the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA). The founding director of the Women’s Research and Resource Center she teaches Women’s Studies at Spelman College and at Emory University. 

She has published a number of texts within African American and Women’s Studies, including the first anthology on Black Women’s Literature, Sturdy Black Bridges: Visions of Black Women in Literature; she has authored a number of anthologies; and co-edited Who Should Be First? Feminists Speak Out on the 2008 Presidential Campaign. In 1983 she became founding co-editor of Sage: A Scholarly Journal of Black Women, a publication solely devoted to the experiences of women of African descent, which was available for thirteen years.

Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall began her teaching career at Alabama State University, followed by an assignment at Spelman College. She holds a BA and a Master’s degree in English.

 

 

Thoraya_Ahmed_Obaid-100Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Ph.D. is the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA) since January 2001 (the first Saudi Arabian to ever head a United Nations agency). She is also under-secretary-general of the United Nations. In her current role, she has promoted a special focus on culture to the UNFPA's development work.

Ms. Obaid has enjoyed a long and distinguished career at the United Nations. The former UNFPA director of the Division for Arab States and Europe, she also worked for the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in the period 1975 - 1998, where she rose to the rank of deputy executive secretary. The receiver of many awards and honors, Ms. Obaid was ranked among the 50 Most Powerful Arab Women by Forbes magazine in 2004. Throughout her career, Ms. Obaid has championed the causes of women's and young people's health and empowerment.

She has a doctorate degree in English Literature and Cultural Anthropology from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.

 

 

Mary_Robinson-100Mary Robinson is the executive director of Realizing Rights: the Ethical Globalization Initiative, which fosters equitable trade and decent work, promotes the right to health and more humane migration policies, works to strengthen women's leadership and encourage corporate responsibility. She is also chancellor of the University of Dublin. Since 2004, she has also been professor of Practice in International Affairs at Columbia University, where she teaches international human rights.

She served as the seventh and first female, President of Ireland - from 1990 to 1997 - and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate (1969–1989).
Ms. Robinson has been honorary president of Oxfam International since 2002; she is chair of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and is also a founding member and chair of the Council of Women World Leaders. Robinson is also one of the European members of the Trilateral Commission. She serves on many boards including as chair of the GAVI Alliance (until 2010). In 2004, she received Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award for her work in promoting human rights.

 

 

Masami_Saionji-100Masami Saionji is the chairperson of three organizations: Byakko Shinko Kai, The World Peace Prayer Society, and The Goi Peace Foundation. A native of Japan and a descendant of the Royal Ryukyu Family of Okinawa, she continues the work of her adoptive father, Masahisa Goi, who initiated a movement for world peace through the universal prayer May Peace Prevail on Earth. As a spiritual leader and lecturer, she has touched thousands of people’s lives through her guidance and inspiration. She travels globally on speaking tours, and has led peace ceremonies in many countries as well as at the United Nations and other international organizations.

She is the author of over twenty books including The Golden Key to Happiness, You Are the Universe, The Earth Healer’s Handbook, and Vision for the 21st Century. She was awarded the Philosopher Saint Shree Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prize of India along with her husband Hiroo in 2008.