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Kyoto Prize Gala to Honor Local Scholarship Recipients and Latest Laureates of Japan's Kyoto Prize

Event to serve as opening ceremony for eighth annual Kyoto Prize Symposium; gala banquet to feature Premium Wagyu beef imported from Japan

San Diego, March 11, 2009 – San Diego's non-profit Kyoto Symposium Organization announced today that it will host the 2009 Kyoto Prize Gala on Wednesday, March 18, at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines hotel. Serving as the official opening ceremony for the eighth annual Kyoto Prize Symposium, the gala will honor the latest laureates of the Kyoto Prize, Japan's highest private award for global achievement, and six high school students from San Diego and Tijuana receiving the 2009-2010 Kyoto Scholarships. Laureate presentations will continue March 19-20 at SDSU, UCSD and USD.

The Kyoto Prize Gala has become one of San Diego's premier events, attracting international participation. This year, the gala banquet will feature Premium Wagyu beef imported from Kagoshima, Japan by ADiRECT Foods, Inc., a worldwide provider of Japanese cuisine. Exceptionally uncommon even in Japan, Wagyu is regarded as the beef connoisseur's gold standard — characterized by rich marbling, extreme tenderness and a unique flavor that the New York Times recently described as "the best steak of your life."

The gala's theme will be, "The Kyoto Prize: Celebrating Outstanding Human Achievement." Guests will meet the 24th Kyoto Prize laureates, all of whom reside in North America, including a Californian and two Canadians.

Dr. Richard Manning Karp, the 2008 Kyoto Prize laureate in Advanced Technology, is a computer scientist and university professor at UC Berkeley. His groundbreaking work in algorithms for computerized problem-solving has helped create today's globally connected, digital society, supporting fields ranging from logistics to genetics.

Dr. Anthony James Pawson, the 2008 Kyoto Prize laureate in Basic Sciences, is a molecular biologist and University Professor at the University of Toronto. His discovery of how simple "miscommunication" between cells can lead to diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders has led to promising new treatments and drugs.

Dr. Charles Margrave Taylor, the 2008 Kyoto Prize laureate in Arts and Philosophy, is a philosopher and professor emeritus at McGill University in Montréal. His development of a social philosophy that calls for diverse groups to coexist while retaining their unique identity offers new approaches to conflict resolution and peace in today's multicultural world.

The gala's leadership team includes co-chairs Robert Horsman, president and CEO of San Diego National Bank; Masaaki Tanaka, president and CEO of Union Bank; and Dr. Dana Gibson, president of National University. Noted philanthropists Dr. Irwin Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm Incorporated, and Conrad Prebys, a real estate developer, serve as the event's honorary chair and honorary vice chair, respectively.

"The Kyoto Prize Symposium crosses borders and unites cultures to celebrate outstanding human achievement," stated Horsman, who chairs the Kyoto Symposium Organization. "Our Gala Host Committee includes more than 70 leaders from business, academia and government who play an integral role as volunteers."

Proceeds from the benefit gala will fund the 2009-2010 Kyoto Scholarships, which will be awarded during the event to six college-bound high school seniors ― three each from San Diego and Tijuana. The $10,000 scholarships, given in the broad categories of Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy, are designed to inspire students to use their work and studies to improve our society after the example of the Kyoto Prize laureates.

"Our sponsors make the Kyoto Scholarships possible," said Dr. Dana Gibson. "Their support encourages future generations to make our world a better place — an ideal that reflects the mission of the Kyoto Prize."

Top sponsors include Union Bank, National University, Qualcomm, San Diego National Bank, Point Loma Nazarene University, Kyocera and California Bank and Trust.

For gala information, please contact The Alarus Agency at (619) 235-4542.

The Kyoto Prize Symposium

San Diego's Kyoto Prize Symposium is a three-day celebration of the lives and works of those receiving the Kyoto Prize, co-hosted by SDSU, UCSD and USD. In addition to the Gala and Opening Ceremony on March 18, major events include presentations by the 2008 Kyoto Prize laureates ― Advanced Technology, March 19, 9:30-11:00 a.m. at SDSU's Montezuma Hall; Basic Sciences, March 19, 3:30-5:00 p.m. at UCSD's Price Center West, Ballroom A & B; and Arts and Philosophy, Friday, March 20, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at USD's Shiley Theatre. Laureate presentations are free and open to the public. A complete schedule of events and registration form are available at http://www.kyotoprize.org.


CONTACT:

  • Stephanie Kellems, Alarus Agency
  • Phone: (619) 235-4542, Cell: (619) 347-2715
  • E-mail: skellems@alarus.biz

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