The Tech Awards – Gala for 1500 Honors Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Muhammad Yunus
The Tech Awards show that “Big changes come from simple solutions” said Tech President Peter Friess —opening an elegant black tie gala for the premier annual humanitarian awards programs in the world. Over 1500 Tech Museum friends & donors gathered to honor 25 global innovators (Laureates) who were carefully selected from hundreds of applications received from 68 countries. $250,000 in cash awards were distributed on one evening. For more about the outstanding laureates in the environment, development, education, equality, and health categories, visit here.
“We are gathering all the intellectual capital of all these prestigious laureates who are the role models of the next generation…using technology to benefit humanity…At The Tech, we pledge to do our part to cultivate the next generation of scientists and engineers,” said Friess. Friess’ leadership in seamlessly pulling off this event cannot be underestimated. Digital applause is in order.
Nobel Peace Prize winner and micro-lending pioneer, Muhammad Yunus was the focus of this tech-humanitarian star-studded event. The Distinguished Tech Awards Committee chose him as the recipient of the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award, sponsored by Applied Materials.
Applying Dreams
ValleyZen spoke with Applied Materials CEO, Mike Splinter who said, “The Award is inspired by Jim’s [James Morgan’s] belief that technology can help individuals reach their full potential and translate their dreams into solutions for a better world.”
Banking for the Poor
Before the gala, we met and spoke to Grameen Bank Founder, Muhammad Yunus. Yunus has witnessed excruciating human suffering, traveling to the darkest corners of the planet to help those in greatest need. BUT– his physical presence overflows with joyousness. Drue was struck by his smile–radiating in all directions, continually expanding.
From Nashville to Bangladesh
A cool coincidence, –Bill found that Yunus attended his alma mater. Vanderbilt University, in Nashville Tennessee. Bill’s firm has endowed the Fenwick and West Lecture series at Vanderbilt law school.
The Zen of Yunus
Yunus’ remarks were real – cutting sharply through rhetoric and fancy words. Instead of saying something grandiose, his bare words gripped the audience. Speaking about his inspiration for micro-lending he said:
“My efforts were very small – created out of desperation. When you are desperate you do a lot of strange things…Giving the $27 dollars to the first 42 people. Nobody in their right mind would have even thought about it. But I did it with all the seriousness, and challenged the bank to do the same…”
Today 130 million benefit worldwide from microcredit.
Yunus: What sub prime crisis in the microcredit world?
“They said poor people are not credit worthy, and now 32 years later today…the poor turned to be better credit worthy!! You have to think differently to see how the world can turn around…We have given more than 700,000 housing loans and we never had a sub prime crisis.”
Intel Fortune Cookie Wisdom
Intel Chairman of the Board Craig R. Barrett left us with a humble piece of wisdom. He read the fortune from his cookie at his favorite restaurant Chef Chu’s —“A small deed done is better than a great deed planned.”
Nominations for 2009
Have someone in mind for 2009? Nominate them! Click here to watch the nomination video.
Great to see that Muhammad Yunus received the special award. The work that Grameen Bank does is truly amazing– fighting poverty through empowerment via market forces. In our times of political division, he is a rare example of being admired by both free marketeers and liberals.
It is interesting that The Tech Awards recognize somebody who is not part of what we normally consider “tech”. Yet, the concept of “technology” is infinitely flexible, and at its core it designates something that impacts people’s daily lives– Mr Yunis certainly fits the bill.