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Nominations open for Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2010 (21 July 2009)
Nominations will open today, Tuesday July 21st, the anniversary of the death of Robert Burns, for the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2010 and organisers are calling for people across the world to celebrate the bard’s memory by making a nomination. The award recognises individuals and groups for their tireless efforts to improve and enrich the lives of others and previous nominees have included UNICEF ambassador Ewan McGregor and Bollywood actress and political activist Shabana Azmi.
Scottish novelist Andrew O’Hagan joined the judging panel of the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award in 2008. He said: “The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award is an incredible honour and one which recognises those who ask for no recognition but deserve it in abundance. 2009 is Scotland’s year of Homecoming and a celebration of the birth of Robert Burns and so this year’s award was especially poignant and it is fitting that we open nominations for next year’s award on the anniversary of his death. I am confident that the calibre of nominations for 2010 will be just as impressive as in previous years and we look forward to recognising their efforts.”
This year the award was won by Guy Willoughby, founder and CEO of HALO Trust, based in Dumfries, which specialises in the removal of harmful and unexploded debris of war. Guy was presented with the award by First Minister, Alex Salmond at a glittering ceremony in Ayrshire in May.
Past nominees and winners have all demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond for the sake of others and an affinity with their fellow human beings which is comparable to Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns.
The winner receives 1759 guineas, a sum which signifies the year of the bard's birth and the coinage then in circulation, as well as a specially commissioned hand-made award.
Nominations close in mid-September and can be made online at www.robertburnsaward.com or by emailing Burnsaward@eventscotland.org . The winner will be announced in January 2010.
Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2009 Winner: Guy Willoughby, founder of Halo Trust (17 May 2009)
Halo Trust founder receives the bard's global humanitarian award for the removal of war debris and millions of unexploded landmines
One of Scotland’s most prolific humanitarians, Guy Willoughby, founder of the Halo Trust, was celebrating last night (Saturday, May 16th, 2009) after winning the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2009. The award is one of the world’s most prestigious humanitarian awards and was presented by Scotland’s First Minister in Ayr.
Guy Willoughby founded the Halo Trust in 1988 with the simple mission statement of ‘Getting mines out of the ground, now’. Halo Trust, which is based in Dumfries, now has more than 7,500 staff working overseas clearing landmines and unexploded bombs as an act of charity on behalf of some of the world’s most impoverished areas.
First Minister Alex Salmond said: “The Burns Humanitarian Award recognises those whose compassion and affinity for their fellow human beings echoes the spirit of our national bard Robert Burns.
“As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns birth this year, it is especially fitting that each of the nominees has made a significant impact internationally to promote empathy and compassion for others through their work, like Burns himself .
“Guy Willoughby is one of Scotland’s most prolific humanitarians and I am delighted to present him with this award, which recognises his incredible work through the Halo Trust.”
By its 21st year, HALO had cleared over eleven million landmines and unexploded shells from 400,000 acres, clearing over 5,000 minefields and destroying over fifty million bullets. HALO makes roads safe from anti-tank mines, allowing food convoys to reach cut-off towns, and HALO clears minefields and the explosive remnants of war from in and around villages and farmland.
Guy Willoughby still works for HALO, along with over 7,000 deminers. Since founding HALO in 1988, Guy’s actions have saved countless thousands of people from either violent deaths or severe disability.
Guy Willoughby was delighted to accept the award which he hopes will help
raise awareness of the work of Halo Trust. He said: "I am delighted
to receive this award, and will use it to raise awareness of the work
of many hundreds of charity staff, many of whom are Scots, who live in
conflict and post-conflict countries facing danger, disease, discomfort and
often isolation for little financial reward and minimal award. Their
commitment does not receive enough recognition.”
The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award is funded annually by EventScotland,
the national events agency and is the opening event of the burns an’
a that! Festival. The festival is one of the world’s largest
celebrations of the life and work of Scotland’s national bard and has
never been more significant than in 2009, Scotland’s year of
Homecoming.
Graham Peterkin, Chair of the Burns Festival Board said: “The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award is now in its eighth year and I am delighted that such a prestigious honour marks the beginning of the Burns and a’ that Festival here in Ayr.
“I am particularly pleased that in such a short space of time the award has gained the recognition that it richly deserves, even more so in this, Scotland’s year of Homecoming. The quality and variety of events on offer this year mean that there truly is something for every taste. This year’s focus is an exciting one, as we aim to bring Burns back to his birthplace with poetry, comedy and song. I look forward to local residents and visitors to South Ayrshire equally enjoying and supporting the Festival even more than ever in 2009.”
South Ayrshire Council Provost Winifred Sloane said: “I’d like to thank the burns and a’ that Festival organisers for doing such a great job yet again. The partnership approach adopted by EventScotland, VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise and our own staff at South Ayrshire Council is truly special and never fails to impress me, or those who enjoy this wonderful celebration.
“It is a fitting tribute to their efforts that this Festival continues to go from strength to strength and I am confident this year, the Scottish Year of Homecoming, will continue that fine tradition.”
From Mumbai to Dumfries: Shortlisted nominees for Robert Burns Humanitarian Award announced (24 January 2009)
A leading Bollywood actress and two of Scotland’s most dedicated humanitarians to be honoured in the name of Robert Burns
Three of the world’s most prolific humanitarians have been shortlisted for the prestigious Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2009, it was announced this evening, January 24th. The individuals who were nominated for their tireless efforts to improve and enrich the lives of others will be recognised at a glittering awards dinner in May where First Minister, Alex Salmond, will announce the winner.
Founder and CEO of the HALO Trust which specialises in the removal of unexploded and harmful debris of war, Guy Willoughby, founder of the Dumfries and Galloway Aid Convoy which has delivered hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of humanitarian aid to orphanages, schools, hospitals and refugee camps around the world, Phil Hughes and Bollywood actress turned political activist, Shabana Azmi are all in the running for the award.
The announcement of the shortlisted nominees was made at the First Minister’s Burns Supper in Alloway which also marked the start of Scotland’s year of Homecoming. Sir Tom McKillop, chair of the judging panel, said today: “The Robert Burns Humanitarian award recognises those individuals who ask for no recognition. It recognises those who go above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference to the lives of others.
“Each year we receive nominations from around the world and each year the judging panel is tasked with choosing three nominees whose compassion and affinity for their fellow human beings is comparable to the spirit of Robert Burns. This year the selection process was one of the toughest we have undergone and the final three are exceptional individuals who deserve to be honoured for their work.”
The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award is now in its eighth year and past nominees have included UNICEF Ambassador, Ewan McGregor and last year’s winner, humanitarian aid surgeon, Jonathan Kaplan.
Shortlisted nominee, Phil Hughes, hopes the nomination will help raise awareness of the plight of those countries which no longer make headlines in the media. “I am deeply honoured and proud to be nominated for this award. As a charity, the Dumfries and Galloway Aid Convoy worked in countries like Bosnia and Kosovo whose problems are no less significant today than they were several years ago. Unfortunately in recent years, other world events have overtaken the problems still felt there which has meant that funding for projects has been harder to come by. I hope that this nomination will help to raise the profile of some of these projects which are badly in need of funds.”
Guy Willoughby, founder and CEO of the HALO Trust, www.halotrust.org, also hopes the nomination will help raise the profile of the important work carried out by his charity organisation. He said: “ I am delighted to have been nominated for this award. Scotland has a long and famous record of engineers working abroad, particularly in Africa, Asia and the Far East. Dumfries-based HALO Trust has over 7,500 staff working overseas, clearing landmines and unexploded bombs as an act of charity on behalf of some of the most impoverished communities around the world. It is a little known fact that Britain’s largest international charity is Scottish, and this Burns Award will raise our profile at home as well as abroad.”
Speaking from Mumbai, India, Shabana Azmi expressed her appreciation at being shortlisted for the award: “I'm honoured to have been shortlisted for the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award. NIVARA HAKK (The Right to Shelter) the NGO I head, has been working for housing rights of slum dwellers in Mumbai for the last 22 years. We have rehabilitated 100,000 people and provided free housing to 12,000 families. But there is a lot more that needs to be done. Housing cannot be seen in isolation; women’s rights, child rights, health, education are all attendant issues. The award would help bring focus on the need for the government and civil society to bring these issues to centre stage.”
The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award is presented at the burns an’ a that! Festival in May, which is one of the world’s largest celebrations of the life and work of Scotland’s national bard.
Graham Peterkin, Chairman of the Burns Festival Company, sees the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award as particularly pertinent in this year of Homecoming: “The works of Robert Burns are as relevant today as they have always been and he remains an iconic symbol of Scotland around the world. The Festival Company has worked hard to raise the profile of the humanitarian side of Burn’s life and works and what better way to celebrate his legacy than by highlighting the achievements of those individuals who strive to improve the lives of others today.”
The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2008
One man, a hospital surgeon, a flying doctor, a ship's medical officer, a battlefield surgeon, a doctor in crisis-hit countries, a contributor to documentary films and a celebrated author - and surprisingly he has not yet been recognised with a humanitarian award...until now. Humanitarian aid surgeon Jonathan Kaplan was presented with the prestigious Robert Burns Humanitarian Award at a special award ceremony in Ayr on Saturday 17th Many 2008.
Jonathan was one of three individuals short listed for the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award, which reflects the humanitarian values of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Film star and UNICEF ambassador Ewan MacGregor, and founder of the Ozanam Clubs for disabled young people James Lynch, were also short listed for their outstanding work.
The winner was announced at a special award ceremony in Ayr, the birthplace of Robert Burns on 17th May, kicking off the 2008 burns an' a' that! Festival (www.burnsfestival.com). The Judging panel included author and UNICEF ambassador Andrew O'Hagan, TV broadcaster Muriel Gray, President of the Robert Burns World Federation John Haining and the Burns Festival Chairman, Graham Peterkin.
The award is presented by EventScotland, the national events agency. The Robert Burn Humanitarian Award Ceremony is the opening event of the 2008 burns an' a' that! Festival in Ayr which is funded by VisitScotland, South Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise.
The nominees for The Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2008 (L-R - Jonathan Kaplan, Carol & James McGregor, James Lynch)
