Moses Cheng, Lui Che-woo, Lawrence J. Lau
Cover Moses Cheng, Lui Che-woo, Lawrence J. Lau

The Lui Che-woo Prize recognises leaders from around the world with outstanding contributions to three objectives: sustainability, betterment of human welfare and enhancement of positive energy

On Monday, the annual Lui Che-woo Prize revealed its three 2019 laureates during a press conference.

The announcement was presided by prize founder Lui Che-woo along with board members Moses Cheng and Lawrence J. Lau. Now in its fourth year, the three awards recognise leaders from around the world with outstanding contributions to three main objectives: sustainability, betterment of human welfare and enhancement of positive energy.

See also: Here Are The Winners Of The 2018 Lui Che-woo Prize

“Together, we will go forth in our mission to sow the seeds of goodwill and use the international platform of the Lui Che Woo Prize to help build a better tomorrow,” Lui said during the conference.

Sustainability prize

The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s biggest environmental groups, received the Sustainability Prize. In the past 60 years, the American-based organisation has alleviated issues concerning water, land and biodiversity in over 72 countries.

Welfare Betterment Prize

Jennifer A. Doudna was awarded the Welfare Betterment Prize for her break-through findings on gene-editing. Doudna, a chemistry professor at the University of California, Berkeley, developed a genome editing technology called CRISPR-Cas9, which allows scientists to redesign DNA to possibly treat human diseases and enhance agricultural productivity.

Positive Energy Prize

Meanwhile, Fan Jinshi was given the Positive Energy Prize for preserving and promoting Dunhuang culture. The Beijing-born archaeologist has spent the past fifty years protecting and studying the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, China, a series of temples holding over 50,000 ancient artworks dating back to the fifth century. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mogao Grottoes are considered one of the most important centres for Buddhist art in the world.

The winners were selected by a panel of over 1,000 distinguished industry leaders from around the globe, including former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Thai Princess Sirindhorn.

A formal prize ceremony will be held on October 3, and each awardee will receive HK$20 million, a trophy and a certificate recognising their outstanding achievements.

Learn more about the Lui Che-woo Prize at luiprize.org

See also: 10 Philanthropy Prizes That Are Changing The World