The Aristotle Onassis International Prize for the Protection of the Environment 2010 awarded to “Friends of the Earth Middle East“

November 4, 2010
Tel Aviv / Amman / Bethlehem

“Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME)” is the recipient of the first Onassis Prize for the Protection of the Environment. The official award ceremony will take place in the City Hall of Hamburg, on November 17, 2010.

The Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, which pays tribute to the late son of the ship owner Aristotle Onassis, and the City of Hamburg launched the Onassis International Prize for the Protection of the Environment. The prize will reward on a biannual basis persons or organizations for “outstanding contributions towards protecting and improving the environment, including sustainable use of energy”. It will reward persons or entities excluding politicians and political parties. The prize is accompanied by €250,000 – one of the more sizable monetary awards to recognize services to the environment.

Regarding the choice of FoEME as the laureate of the Onassis Prize 2010 for the Protection of the Environment, Anthony Papadimitriou stressed: “The Committee’s decision for 2010 has a dual significance for us. We are thrilled with the choice of the particular organization, which besides its outstanding work towards a sustainable environment involves actively people of different nationalities and thus advances peaceful living and harmonious cooperation towards a common goal.“

Senator of Urban Development and the Environment of the City of Hamburg Anja Hajduk, Chairperson of the International Prize Committee, stated: “The members of the Prize Committee decided unanimously to award FoEME, with great respect for the actions of this significant and pioneering environmental organization. FoEME uniquely combines environmental protection with the effort for a peaceful coexistence in the area.”

FoEME Directors, Jordanian Munqeth Mehyar, Palestinian Nader Khateeb and Israeli Gidon Bromberg, in one voice, said “we are humbled and honored to have been recognized to receive this prize from such a well-known and prestigious organization. We applaud the Onassis Foundation for recognizing the critical environmental issues of the Eastern Mediterranean, for focusing on promoting sustainable development in the region and for helping us to encourage fairer sharing of critical water resources between the peoples of Jordan, Israel and Palestine and our shared environment.”

For more information on the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, please visit: www.onassis.gr

For more information, contact Mira Edelstein, FoEME Foreign Media officer, mira@foeme.org; +972-3-5605383, ext 111 or +972-54-6392937

More coverage: Green Prophet: http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/11/onassis-prize-foeme/