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Kyoto Symposium Organization and The San Diego Foundation Announce 2009-2010 Kyoto Scholarship Recipients

Six students from San Diego and Tijuana awarded $10,000 each toward college

San Diego, March 6, 2009 – The Kyoto Symposium Organization and The San Diego Foundation, in collaboration with Japan's Inamori Foundation, today announced the six recipients of the 2009-2010 Kyoto Scholarships. Presented to exceptional high school seniors from San Diego County and the greater Tijuana region, the $10,000 Kyoto Scholarship is bestowed in honor of Japan's highest private award for global achievement — the Kyoto Prize.

The Kyoto Scholarship is a merit-based award given to students who are actively involved in their communities and aspire to use their studies and work to improve society — a concept consistent with the philosophy of the Kyoto Prize. As part of the application requirements, students write an essay on a Kyoto Prize laureate whose life and achievements have inspired them.

Receiving scholarships in the "Advanced Technology" category are Kristina Bohl, a senior at Francis Parker High School in San Diego; and Arantxa Terrazas-Ortega, a senior at Instituto México de Baja California in Tijuana. Their essays focused on 2008 Kyoto Prize laureate Dr. Richard M. Karp, a computer scientist and university professor at University of California, Berkeley, whose contributions to Computational Complexity Theory have revolutionized large-scale information systems — the foundation for today's digital society.

Receiving scholarships in the "Basic Sciences" category are Hurnan Vongsachang, a senior at San Marcos High School in San Diego; and Denise Macías Estrada, a senior at CECYTE Zona Río in Tijuana. Both wrote about 2008 Kyoto Prize laureate Dr. Anthony J. Pawson, a molecular biologist at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital and university professor at the University of Toronto. By proposing and proving the concept of adapter molecules in intracellular communication, Dr. Pawson has made a tremendous contribution to virtually every field of biomedical research — providing new insights toward the development of therapeutic drugs and aiding the fight against cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and many other diseases.

Receiving the scholarships in the "Arts and Philosophy" category are Jessica Rahman, a senior at Poway High School in San Diego; and Israel Guevara Peralta, a senior at CONALEP II in Tijuana. Their essays focused on 2008 Kyoto Prize laureate Dr. Charles M. Taylor, a professor emeritus at McGill University in Montréal and world-renowned philosopher specializing in multicultural understanding. Dr. Taylor has spent most of his life constructing a social philosophy that leads people of diverse backgrounds to live together in harmony, while retaining their own historical, traditional and cultural identities. Though regarded as novel early in his career, Dr. Taylor's work is now studied in response to some of the most urgent issues confronting human society.

"The Kyoto Scholarships allow students to pursue a college education with the ideal of making the world a better place," said Bob Kelly, president of The San Diego Foundation, which administers the U.S. scholarship fund. "For this reason, we regard the Kyoto Scholarships as a unique resource for local students."

The Kyoto Scholarship recipients will be recognized during the Kyoto Prize Symposium's opening ceremony and benefit gala, "The Kyoto Prize: Celebrating Outstanding Human Achievement," on Wednesday, March 18, at the Grande Ballroom of the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines hotel. Noted philanthropists Dr. Irwin Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm Incorporated, and Conrad Prebys, a real estate developer, lead the event as honorary chair and honorary vice chair, respectively. This year's distinguished gala co-chairs include Robert B. Horsman, president and CEO, San Diego National Bank; Masaaki Tanaka, president and CEO, Union Bank; and Dr. Dana Gibson, president, National University.

The Kyoto Prize

The Kyoto Prize is presented annually by the Inamori Foundation to individuals and groups worldwide who have made outstanding contributions to the betterment of humanity. Consisting of academic honors, a 20-karat gold medal and a cash gift of 50 million yen (about $500,000), it is Japan's highest private award for lifetime achievement. The laureates are selected through a strict and impartial process considering candidates recommended from around the world. As of November 10, 2008, the Kyoto Prize has been awarded to 77 individuals and one group - collectively representing 13 nations. Kyoto Prize laureates range from scientists, engineers and researchers to philosophers, painters, architects, sculptors, musicians and film directors. The United States has produced the most recipients (33), followed by Japan (12), the United Kingdom (nine), and France (seven).

The Inamori Foundation

The non-profit Inamori Foundation was established in Kyoto, Japan, in 1984 by Dr. Kazuo Inamori, a Japanese humanitarian and founder of both Kyocera and KDDI Corporation. Dr. Inamori created the Kyoto Prize in 1985, in reflection of his belief that human beings have no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of society, and that mankind's future can be assured only when there is a balance between science, technology and the human spirit.

The Kyoto Symposium Organization

The Kyoto Symposium Organization is a San Diego-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization established to support the Kyoto Prize Symposium and Kyoto Scholarship programs.

Download photos at: http://www.kyotoprize.org

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