On Thursday evening, the annual Lui Che-woo Prize ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Now in its fourth year, the prestigious award recognises international leaders who have contributed to three main objectives: betterment of human welfare, enhancement of positive energy and sustainability. Each winner received HK$20 million, a trophy and a certificate recognising their outstanding achievements.

Prize founder and Tatler Lister Lui Che-woo was on hand to congratulate this year’s honourees.

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

“I hope everyone can pursue inner peace by becoming more loving and understanding, and together cherish what the world has to offer,” he said during the ceremony’s opening speech. “Knowing that the hard-earned achievements of the laureates align with my vision for the prize, I feel nothing but happiness.”

The Sustainability Prize was awarded to The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s largest environmental groups. The Nature Conservancy's CEO Sally Jewell accepted the award on behalf of her organisation, which has tackled climate change, water scarcity and food shortages around the globe.

“My colleagues and I believe that Hong Kong and the entire Asia Pacific region can lead the world toward a more sustainable future,'' Jewell said in her acceptance speech.

Jennifer A. Doudna received the Welfare Betterment Prize for her groundbreaking research on gene-editing. She’s the co-inventor of CRISPR-Cas9 – a revolutionary genome-editing technology that could possibly treat human diseases and enhance agriculture productivity.

“I do believe that the positive message of Dr. Lui Che-woo and our collective efforts to build a more harmonious world can improve our health, happiness, and future success,” said Doudna. “Tonight is an opportunity to consider how our approach and the work itself can help deliver that better future.”

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

“It is my great honour to protect, study and promote the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang,” Fan said. “This tough but meaningful task deserves not only my lifelong dedication, but also the continuous contributions of future generations.”

To learn more about the Lui Che-woo Prize, visit luiprize.org

See also: 10 Philanthropy Prizes That Are Changing The World