Xerox Corporation

Technology and Services Enterprise

AWARD LAUREATES | Xerox Corporation


Xerox Corporation

Technology and Services Enterprise

Xerox Corporation was presented with the 2006 Gold Mercury Corporate Governance Award for their innovative technologies, products and services which are used to improve business results. Xerox upholds the Corporate Governance guidelines through their commitment to monitoring the effectiveness of policy and decision making at both the board and management level, with the aim of enhancing long-term shareholder value. It was recognised by Gold Mercury International for its standards and practices in its leadership structures, remuneration policies and shareholder rights and information. Furthermore its Code of Ethical Conduct, transparency, reporting and control were commended.  It’s commitment to policy and practice in recruiting, hiring and promoting in all job classifications, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status or sexual orientation was also recognised. Xerox’s work in the promotion of diversity and equal opportunities are examples of outstanding Corporate Governance and responsibility of a company.

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Xerox Corporation Award Announcement

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Time Magazine

Magazine

AWARD LAUREATES | Time Magazine


Time Magazine

Magazine

Time Magazine is an American weekly news magazine which has become the world’s largest circulated weekly news magazine, amassing a readership of 25 million people. Time Magazine was established in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, becoming the first weekly news magazine in the United States. Its aim was to convey the news from the perspective of the people, which explained the reason for the single person cover, which it has become known for. The first issue was published on March 3, 1923 and following Hadden’s death in 1929, Luce managed Time Magazine singlehandedly. During the early years of the magazine, an innovative approach to marketing led to its readership increasing dramatically. From 1931 a weekly radio programme, ‘The March of Time’, was broadcast featuring a dramatisation of the week’s news for listeners. This brought the magazine significant publicity. The writing style in Time Magazine was initially very distinctive, regularly using inverted sentences. It also became known for its red border and its annual person of the year, which is awarded to the individual or group who has had the biggest impact on the news during the course of that year.

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Paloma O’Shea

AWARD LAUREATES | Paloma O’Shea


Paloma O’Shea

Creator of Albeniz Musical Foundation and Reina Sofía Musical School

Paloma O’Shea is the Founder of the Reina Sofía Musical School and the Creator and President of the Albeniz Foundation. Born in Spain in 1936, she began studying piano in 1941 before moving to France in order to further her interest in music. At the age of fifteen her musical talent was recognised and she was awarded the Primer Premio Fin de Carrera and the chance to perform with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. After marrying Emilio Botín, Executive Chairman of Grupo Santander, she chose to dedicate her time to promoting classical music in Spain and as a result she became a patron of the arts. In 1972 she founded the Albeniz Foundation and created the Concurso de Piano de Santander, which is now known as The Paloma O’Shea International Piano Competition. It is held every three years in Spain and is organised by the Albeniz Foundation. In 1991, she founded the Queen Sofía College of Music, which is a private music school that has grown to become one of the leading music schools in Spain. Her commitment to the promotion of arts and music in Spain and her initiatives to encourage musical talent have led to Ms O’Shea receiving numerous awards including The Gold Mercury International Award, as well as the Légion d’honneur of France, the Picasso Awards of UNESCO and in 2008 she was given the rank of Marchioness of O’Shea by the King of Spain.

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Kerry Kennedy

AWARD LAUREATES | Kerry Kennedy


Kerry Kennedy

Founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights and Chairman of “Speak Truth to Power” Programme

Kerry Kennedy was recognised with the 2006 Gold Mercury Humanitarian Award for her work as an internationally renowned human rights activist, the Founder of both The Robert F Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights and the “Speak Truth to Power Programme.” Her dedication to raising awareness of human rights over many years has been commendable. She began her work in human rights in 1981 and since this time has led more than 40 delegations to various countries in the search for equal justice. Ms Kennedy established the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights in 1987 to protect the rights codified under the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Her commitment and work regarding human rights covers diverse issues such as child labour, indigenous land rights, freedom of speech, judicial independence, ethnic violence and women’s rights. Her book  Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who are Changing our World is a powerful representation of those individuals, from more than forty countries who are seeking to advance human rights. The book features interviews with these human rights defenders and is accompanied by powerful portraits by world renowned photographer Eddie Adams.

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Kerry Kennedy Awards Acceptance Speech – Part 1

Kerry Kennedy Awards Acceptance Speech – Part 4

Kerry Kennedy Awards Acceptance Speech – Part 2

Kerry Kennedy Awards Acceptance Speech – Part 3

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H.M. King Juan Carlos I of Spain

AWARD LAUREATES | H.M. King Juan Carlos I of Spain


H.M. King Juan Carlos I of Spain

King of Spain

H.M. King Juan Carlos I of Spain was the recipient of the 1976 Gold Mercury International Peace Award for his role in Spain’s peaceful transition to democracy. He was born in Italy in 1938, following the exile of his grandfather King Alfonso XIII and other members of the Spanish royal family after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931. He returned to Spain in 1947 after his father asked General Franco that his son be allowed to receive a Spanish education. Following the completion of his studies, Juan Carlos joined the Spanish military and eventually graduated as a naval, army and air force officer. He then continued his education at Complutense University studying Law, International Political Economy and Public Finance. In a bid to prevent a descent into civil war in the event of his death, Franco named Juan Carlos as his successor and began preparing him to eventually take control of Spain. Following Franco’s death, Juan Carlos became King on the 27th November 1975. Following his coronation King Juan Carlos I of Spain began the process of introducing vast reforms and in his first speech to the Spanish parliament he expressed his desire to re-establish democracy in the country. These reforms invoked the anger of many groups who expected him to maintain an authoritarian state. He continued on his path towards democracy, however, and appointed Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez who furthered King Juan Carlos’s goal of a democratic nation. His liberal stance and efforts to restore parliamentary democracy in Spain were recognised by Gold Mercury International and he was formally presented with the Peace Award in 1976.

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H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

AWARD LAUREATES | H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf


H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

President of the Republic of Liberia

H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was presented with the 2006 Gold Mercury Peace & Security Award for her efforts to achieve stability in Liberia. Mrs Johnson Sirleaf has worked tirelessly both locally and internationally for the past four decades, led by the desire for a free market system in Liberia and the ability to present the country as a model for African development. Upon winning the 2005 presidential election, she became the first democratically elected female Head of State in Africa. However with this role Mrs Johnson Sirleaf inherited the extensive task of rebuilding Liberia following fourteen years of civil war and destruction. She embarked on this transition by encouraging Liberians to reconcile their differences and work together to rebuild a new, unified Liberia. During her first presidential term, she launched a strong effort to prevent a regression into civil war by restructuring the economy and reforming existing governing practices. Through her strength and determination she has been able to ensure her country is on the path to peace, growth and development.

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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Award Announcement

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Enrique Batiz

AWARD LAUREATES | Enrique Batiz


Enrique Batiz

Conductor

Enrique Batiz was born in Mexico City on May 4, 1942. His interest in music began at an early age and he went on to study at the prestigious Julliard School. He achieved success as a pianist, before debuting as a conductor in 1969. In1971, under his initiative and in conjunction with the government of the Mexico State, the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México (OSEM) was founded, with the purpose of spreading music as an art as a means of creating union and identity among the citizens of the state.

He was the conductor of the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra for 12 years (1971 – 1983), then of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra for 7 years (1983 – 1989) and resumed directorship of the OSEM from 1990 to the present. Since 1984, he was named “guest conductor” of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and as an invited guest conductor, he has led more than 500 symphony orchestras around the world.

His work is represented with a collection of 145 recordings of which 41 are with the Royal Philharmonic, 9 with the London Symphony, 3 with the Philharmonia, 12 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 2 with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, 19 with the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, 58 with the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and 1 with the Toscana Orchestra in Florence, Italy, for the British record companies EMI Records International, Academy of Sound and Vision, Musical Heritage (USA), NAXOS, IMG International Management Group, Pickwick, RPO Records and Arts (German company). The repertory of Enrique Batiz as a conductor ranges from classical to contemporary works. He has been described as an artist who conducts with vehemence and enthusiasm, manifesting a deep understanding, unusual even among the finest conductors.

Photo: Jennifer Taylor for The New York Times

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Dr. Robert Gallo

AWARD LAUREATES | Dr. Robert Gallo


Dr. Robert Gallo

Director of the Institute of Human Virology

Dr Robert Gallo was presented with the 2006 Gold Mercury Health & Science Award for his pioneering work in the field of virology.  Dr Gallo has made numerous significant discoveries which have led to diagnostic and therapeutic advances in viral diseases.  Notably, his research played a key role in identifying the cause of the AIDS virus, which has greatly assisted in advancing detection and treatment methods associated with HIV/AIDS. He was also the first to identify a human retrovirus and the only known human leukaemia virus. He spent 30 years at the National Institute of Health before becoming the Founder and Director of The Institute of Human Virology. He also recently founded The Global Virus Network which gathers reputed virologists from around the world to face the task of identifying, investigating and controlling viral diseases. His dedication to the fight against viral diseases and the protection of mankind over the years is truly remarkable.

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Award Announcement Dr Robert Gallo

Dr Robert Gallo Acceptance Speech Part 1

Dr Robert Gallo Acceptance Speech Part 2

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Camilo José Cela

AWARD LAUREATES | Camilo José Cela


Camilo José Cela

Nobel Prize Winner for Literature

Camilo José Cela, 1st Marquis of Iria Flavia, was recongised with the Gold Mercury International Award for Culture & Media in 1986 for his significant literary contributions. He was born in 1916 in Spain and attended The University of Madrid, during which he spent a period of time in Franco’s army during the Spanish Civil War. He published his first novel, ‘La Familia de Pascual Duarte’ in 1942. This novel would later become one of his most well-known written works and its popularity was so great that post-war pieces of literature reflected Cela’s style and flair. The reason for its popularity was due Cela’s distinctive narrative style, known as tremendismo, which emphasised violence and graphic imagery through lengthy descriptive passages. Influenced by his travels through rural Spain and Latin America. Cela also published two travel books; ‘Viaje a la Alcarría’ and ‘Del Miño al Bidasoa.’ His second novel ‘La Colmena’, telling the story of post-war Madrid and featuring over 300 characters, achieved critical acclaim. Much of his work during this time, due to strict censorship laws in Franco’s Spain, was published in Latin America first. During this period his style continued to change and adapt as shown by ‘San Camilo, 1936’, which, when published in 1969, drew significant attention from critics who recognised a more avant garde and experimental novel than Cela’s past works. He soon founded the literary review agency Papeles de Son Armadans in 1956 and then in 1969 began to publish ‘Diccionario Secreto’; a dictionary of previously unprintable slang and taboo words and phrases. He was honoured several times in his career, including being appointed Royal Senator in the Constituent Cortes, a role which enabled him to influence the wording of the 1978 Spanish Constitution. Following his induction as a Gold Mercury Award recipient, he also won the 1989 Nobel Prize in Literature and was given the title First Marquis of Iria Flavia in 1996 by King Juan Carlos I.

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Álvaro Uribe Vélez

AWARD LAUREATES | Álvaro Uribe Vélez


Álvaro Uribe Vélez

Former President of the Republic of Colombia

Álvaro Uribe Vélez was awarded the 2009 Gold Mercury Peace & Security Award for his efforts in attempting to improve Colombia’s internal security mechanisms, social cohesion and general development. During his time as president, Mr. Uribe sought to address Colombia’s security challenges by improving national security and engaging domestic support for the constitution. Official statistics have often been used to highlight his effectiveness at reducing crime in Colombia. Shortly after Mr Uribe’s induction as President in 2002, official figures released by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed a 99% reduction in the homicide of union leaders, an 85% reduction in victims of massacres and a 49% reduction in homicides. His hard line stance against those who posed a threat to security and stability also won him a high approval rating amongst the Colombian people. Mr. Uribe also achieved a number of successes against guerrillas, which helped to weaken their stronghold on Colombia. Moreover, Mr. Uribe’s determination to secure a more stable future for Colombia was prevalent in his continuing efforts to fight impunity and preserve human rights.

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Álvaro Uribe Vélez Award Announcement

President Uribe Acceptance Speech

President Uribe Award Ceremony Address

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