The Inamori Ethics Prize is an annual award presented by the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at

Case Western Reserve University Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a Private university, private research university in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1967 by a merger between Western Reserve University and the Case Institute of Technology. Case ...

. The prize honors exemplary ethical international leaders "whose actions and influence have greatly improved the condition of humankind". The prize was first awarded in 2008 to Dr. Francis Collins, an American physician who is credited with discovering a number of genes associated with human diseases. The Inamori Ethics prize is also awarded with a monetary award, which is to be used in the recipients' ongoing projects. Each year, the honoree of the prize delivers a public lecture about their ongoing work at Case Western Reserve University. In years in which the Inamori Ethics Prize is not awarded, the Inamori Center's Conversations on JUSTICE series is held.

Recipients

Source: * 2023: Myroslava Gongadze, journalist, free press and human rights advocate. * 2022-2023: Conversations on JUSTICE: Inequities in Healthcare (in honor of the late Dr. Paul Farmer). The prize was scheduled to be awarded to American medical anthropologist and physician

Paul Farmer Paul Edward Farmer (October 26, 1959 – February 21, 2022) was an American medical anthropology, medical anthropologist and physician. Farmer held an MD and PhD from Harvard University, where he was a Harvard University Professor, University ...

, but was not given due to his untimely death and the prize not being awarded posthumously. * 2021:

Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi Silvia Alejandra Fernández de Gurmendi (born 24 October 1954) is an Argentine lawyer, diplomat and judge. She was a judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 18 November 2009 to 10 March 2018 and was the first woman President of the IC ...

, first female president of the

International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...

, for her work as a leader in international justice, humanitarian law, and human rights * 2020-2021: Conversations on JUSTICE (a series of virtual events featuring former prize-winners during the height of the pandemic) * 2019:

LeVar Burton Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957) is an American actor, director, and television host. He played Geordi La Forge in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987–1994), Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries ''Roots'' (1977 ...

, actor and activist, for his work to support AIDS research and children's literacy and as an ethical leader in the arts * 2018:

Farouk El-Baz Farouk El-Baz (, ''Pronunciation'': ) (born January 2, 1938) is an Egyptian American space scientist and geologist, who worked with NASA in the scientific exploration of the Moon and the planning of the Apollo program. He was a leading geologist ...

, geologist and

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

space scientist, for his work locating essential natural resources * 2017:

Marian Wright Edelman Marian Wright Edelman ( Wright; born June 6, 1939) is an American activist for civil rights and children's rights. She is the founder and president emerita of the Children's Defense Fund. She influenced leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr, an ...

, civil rights attorney and

Children's Defense Fund The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on child advocacy and research. It was founded in 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman. History The CDF was founded in 1973, ci ...

founder, for her successes in improving the lives of children * 2016:

Peter Eigen Peter Eigen (born June 11, 1938) is a German lawyer, development economist, and civil society leader. Eigen founded Transparency International (TI) in 1993 and chaired the organization for 12 years, a non-governmental organization with national ...

, attorney and founder of

Transparency International Transparency International e.V. (TI) is a German registered association founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank. Based in Berlin, its nonprofit and non-governmental purpose is to take action to combat global corruption with civil s ...

, for his fight against corruption which hinders economic growth, social welfare, and justice * 2015:

Martha Nussbaum Martha Nussbaum (; Craven; born May 6, 1947) is an American philosopher and the current Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, where she is jointly appointed in the law school and the philos ...

, philosopher and professor of law * 2014:

Denis Mukwege Denis Mukwege (; born 1 March 1955) is a Congolese humanitarian, gynecologist and Pentecostal pastor. He founded and works in Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, where he specializes in the treatment of women who have been raped by armed rebels. In 2018 ...

* 2013:

Yvon Chouinard Yvon Chouinard (born November 9, 1938) is an American rock climber, environmentalist, and businessman. His company, Patagonia, sells outdoor products, outerwear, and food. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by '' ...

, founder of Patagonia. * 2012:

David Suzuki David Takayoshi Suzuki (born March 24, 1936) is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster, and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a PhD in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department at the ...

, science educator and climate activist. * 2011:

Beatrice Mtetwa Beatrice Mtetwa (born 1957) is a Zimbabwean lawyer who has been internationally recognized for her defense of journalists and press freedom. ''The New York Times'' described her in 2008 as "Zimbabwe's top human rights lawyer". Legal practice Bor ...

, human rights lawyer and free press activist. * 2010:

Stan Brock Stan Brock may refer to: * Stan Brock (American football) (born 1958), American football player * Stan Brock (philanthropist) (1936–2018), British philanthropist, presenter and actor See also * Stanley Brock (1931–1991), American film ...

, television personality, philanthropist, and founder of Remote Area Medical. * 2009:

Mary Robinson Mary Therese Winifred Robinson (; ; born 21 May 1944) is an Irish politician who served as the president of Ireland from December 1990 to September 1997. She was the country's first female president. Robinson had previously served as a senato ...

, former President of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. * 2008:

Francis Collins Francis Sellers Collins (born April 14, 1950) is an American physician-scientist who discovered the genes associated with a number of diseases and led the Human Genome Project. He served as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ...

, physician-geneticist, led the Human Genome Project.

References

{{Reflist Case Western Reserve University American awards Awards established in 2008 Ethics