The Noel Foundation Life Awards

The Noel Foundation Life Award Recipients

Sherry Lansing
Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Group
Paramount Pictures
The first woman chairman of a major motion picture studio, she began her career as a high school teacher working with poor children. As a role model and leader for women in business and in the highly competitive movie industry, she generously mentors women in their quest to excel. Ms. Lansing dedicates herself to community service and to humanitarian work with many charities; she is the chair of Stop Cancer and the co-founder of the Big Sisters Endowment Fund.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Founder and Honorary Chairman
Special Olympics International
A leader in the worldwide struggle to improve and enhance the lives of individuals with mental retardation for over three decades, Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Special Olympics, which began in 1968 and attracts more than a million participants every year to competitions in 150 countries and in all 50 states in the United States.

Dharma Master Cheng Yen
Known as the "Mother Teresa of Asia"
Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
As head of a small Buddhist temple in Taiwan, her followers number over four million. Her work and influence through the Tzu Chi Foundation provides disaster relief for victims throughout the world, from sending truckloads of food and clothing to building hospitals, colleges and developing educational, social, and cultural programs for the needy.

Gro Harlem Brundtland - Former Prime Minister of Norway

Corazon Aquino - Former President of the Philippines

Lady Margaret Thatcher - Former Prime Minister of Great Britain

Benazir Bhutto - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan

Mother Teresa

Elizabeth Glaser (posthumously)
Raised world consciousness to the pediatric AIDS epidemic and dedicated herself to fundraising for research.

Mary Robinson - Former President of Ireland

Helen Suzman - South Africa
Only female Member of Parliament & only member to vote to end apartheid in South Africa.

Adelaide Tambo - South Africa
Initiated the anti-apartheid movement in Britain.

Dr. Christiane Pasqualini - Argentina
Research in leukemia & the immunological aspects of cancer - first woman to become a member of the National Academy of Medicine in Buenos Aires.

Marianne Buggenhagen - East Berlin
A paraplegic who at the age of 38 won 4 gold medals at the Paralympics in Barcelona and holds 130 national titles in German sports for the handicapped.

Rosa Parks - USA
Mother of the modern day civil rights movement, whose "quiet act of courage and strength" changed the course of history.

Judge Navanethem Pillay - South Africa
First black woman judge on South African High Court - credited with making rape a war crime.

Dr. Hadassa Degani - Israel
Developed non-invasive method for early detection of breast cancer using the MRI to distinguish between malignant and benign tissue.

Audrey Hepburn (in spiritus)
United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

Life Award and creator Wu Hui Ming.

About the Life Award

The Noel Award statue "Life" was designed by Wu Hui Ming, a Chinese sculptress. This work of art symbolizes both the concept of women working together in support of a better world and of one woman balancing her many roles in life.

Born in Nanhai in the Kwangtung Province of China, Wu was accepted into the Preparatory School of the Shanghai Art Institute at the age of 15. The Fifteen-foot original sculpture fulfills a life-long personal dream of seeing her work on display in the United States of America.

The honorees are selected by the UNIFEM Selection Committee and International Advisory Board of The Noel Foundation and they are among the world's most inspirational individuals who have made a difference for a better world through their commitment.

Creation of which was inspired by Noel's work with Mother Teresa Home Projects About Us Life Awards	The Noel Foundation Life Awards
	The Noel Foundation Life Award Recipients Sherry Lansing Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Group Paramount Pictures The first woman chairman of a major motion picture studio, she began her career as a high school teacher working with poor children. As a role model and leader for women in business and in the highly competitive movie industry, she generously mentors women in their quest to excel. Ms. Lansing dedicates herself to community service and to humanitarian work with many charities; she is the chair of Stop Cancer and the co-founder of the Big Sisters Endowment Fund. Eunice Kennedy Shriver Founder and Honorary Chairman Special Olympics International A leader in the worldwide struggle to improve and enhance the lives of individuals with mental retardation for over three decades, Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Special Olympics, which began in 1968 and attracts more than a million participants every year to competitions in 150 countries and in all 50 states in the United States. Dharma Master Cheng Yen Known as the "Mother Teresa of Asia" Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize As head of a small Buddhist temple in Taiwan, her followers number over four million. Her work and influence through the Tzu Chi Foundation provides disaster relief for victims throughout the world, from sending truckloads of food and clothing to building hospitals, colleges and developing educational, social, and cultural programs for the needy. Gro Harlem Brundtland - Former Prime Minister of Norway Corazon Aquino - Former President of the Philippines Lady Margaret Thatcher - Former Prime Minister of Great Britain Benazir Bhutto - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Mother Teresa Elizabeth Glaser (posthumously) Raised world consciousness to the pediatric AIDS epidemic and dedicated herself to fundraising for research. Mary Robinson - Former President of Ireland Helen Suzman - South Africa Only female Member of Parliament & only member to vote to end apartheid in South Africa. Adelaide Tambo - South Africa Initiated the anti-apartheid movement in Britain. Dr. Christiane Pasqualini - Argentina Research in leukemia & the immunological aspects of cancer - first woman to become a member of the National Academy of Medicine in Buenos Aires. Marianne Buggenhagen - East Berlin A paraplegic who at the age of 38 won 4 gold medals at the Paralympics in Barcelona and holds 130 national titles in German sports for the handicapped. Rosa Parks - USA Mother of the modern day civil rights movement, whose "quiet act of courage and strength" changed the course of history. Judge Navanethem Pillay - South Africa First black woman judge on South African High Court - credited with making rape a war crime. Dr. Hadassa Degani - Israel Developed non-invasive method for early detection of breast cancer using the MRI to distinguish between malignant and benign tissue. Audrey Hepburn (in spiritus) United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.	Life Award and creator Wu Hui Ming. About the Life Award The Noel Award statue "Life" was designed by Wu Hui Ming, a Chinese sculptress. This work of art symbolizes both the concept of women working together in support of a better world and of one woman balancing her many roles in life. Born in Nanhai in the Kwangtung Province of China, Wu was accepted into the Preparatory School of the Shanghai Art Institute at the age of 15. The Fifteen-foot original sculpture fulfills a life-long personal dream of seeing her work on display in the United States of America. The honorees are selected by the UNIFEM Selection Committee and International Advisory Board of The Noel Foundation and they are among the world's most inspirational individuals who have made a difference for a better world through their commitment.
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