The Mikhail Gorbachev Award - "The Man Who Changed the World"

MOSCOW, March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On the eve of his 80th Birthday, Mikhail Gorbachev announces the establishment of The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World", which will mark the outstanding achievements of individuals whose contribution to the development of global civilization, culture, social science and technology has changed the world we live in for the better.

On March 30th 2011, Mikhail Gorbachev will be announcing the winners of the inaugural The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World" at the Charitable Gala Event to celebrate his 80th Birthday at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Great Britain. The 2011 prize has inspired the creation of what will become an internationally recognized initiative that will take place annually, the next awards ceremony taking place in March 2012.

The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World" will be awarded in three categories:

    
    - CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL CIVILIZATION
      (PERESTROIKA) is awarded for history-making achievements which had a 
      positive impact on the processes of change in the world.

    - CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURE OF AN OPEN
      WORLD (GLASNOST) is awarded for the unique achievements in contemporary
      culture, art and media.

    - CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN SCIENCE AND
      TECHNOLOGY (USKORENIE) is awarded for outstanding achievements in 
      development of human thought and creation of new technologies.

The nominees will be announced on the 10th March 2011.

Founding organisations of The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World" include: The International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies (The Gorbachev Foundation); Green Cross International, The Nobel Peace Laureates Forum and The New Policy Forum.

Notes to Editors

Concept: The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World"

The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World" will be awarded annually to those individuals whose contribution to the development of global civilization, culture, social science and technology has changed the world we live in for the better.

    
    - The Award is open to men and women and not aiming to be
      elitist or inaccessible. 

    - Anyone can be nominated for their contribution to changing
      the world we live in for the better.

    - Following the inaugural award presented in London on 30th
      March 2011, the Award Ceremony will take place in a different 
      country every year.

Categories: The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World"

Perestroika, Glasnost, Uskorenie - are the three universal concepts which define the three dimensions of Mikhail Gorbachev's global reforms which changed the world forever. These words are recognised and understood all over the world and now represent the three award categories of The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World".

1. CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL CIVILIZATION is awarded for history-making achievements which had a positive impact on the processes of change in the world.

2. CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURE OF AN OPEN WORLD is awarded for the unique achievements in contemporary culture, art and media.

3. CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY is awarded for outstanding achievements in development of human thought and creation of new technologies.

Winners Selection: The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World"

For the inaugural 2011 award The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World", winners will be chosen by the Founding Committee members and personally by Mikhail Gorbachev.

From 2012 onwards, the winners will be chosen from the nominees short-list by the Award Council. Members of the council will themselves be internationally respected and chosen for their contributions and influence over the development of the world community. Members will represent the 5 continents, invited from Russia, Germany, Japan, USA, Australia, France, Israel, Great Britain, India, Chile, Jordan and Republic of South Africa, chaired by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Nominees Announcement: The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World"

The official announcement of the nominees of The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World", will take place at 7pm on 10th March 2011 at the official residence of the HE Ambassador of Great Britain, Moscow, 14 - Sofiyskaya Naberezhnaya.

Winners Announcement: The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World"

The official announcement of the winners of the inaugural The Mikhail Gorbachev Award "The Man Who Changed the World" will take place on 30th March 2011 at the Charitable Gala Event to celebrate Mikhail Gorbachev's 80th Birthday at The Royal Albert Hall in London, Great Britain.

About the Gala Event

     
    - The event will take place on the 30th March 2011 at The
      Royal Albert Hall

    - Stars from East and West will unite to perform on stage. Acts include:
      The London Symphony Orchestra and Valeriy Gergiev, Paul Anka, Brian 
      Ferry, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Dame Shirley Bassey, Katherine Jenkins, 
      Melanie C, "The Scorpions", Andrey Gavrilov, Lara Fabian, Andrey 
      Makarevich and "Machina Vremeni", Mila Jovovich and Igor Krutoy.

    - The ceremony will be hosted by Hollywood legends Sharon Stone and Kevin
      Spacey and will be available to view on television in 49 countries.

    - The event will be attended by VIP guests, heads of state and
      celebrities. There are also tickets available for the public

    - Tickets are available on sale only at http://www.gorby80.com