Actors Josh Hartnett and Sir Ben Kingsley, and filmmakers Danny Boyle and Christian Colson will be honoured during the launch of the Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Doha, which will start from October 28 to 31. Harnett, Kinsley, Boyle and Colson will be the first recipients of a Doha 21st Century Leader Awards, which will be presented during the gala event on October 30 at the hotel. The Doha 21st Century Leaders Award will be launched here on October 28. Monica Yunus, operatic soprano of Bengali-Russian descent, who has performed with many of the world’s finest opera companies and music ensembles, will also be honoured for her humanitarian work, particularly for Sing for Hope, which she co-founded. Sing for Hope is an organisation of artists who perform in concerts that benefit humanitarian causes. Monica is the daughter of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. The 21st Century Leaders Foundation, in partnership with the Friends of the Environment Centre in Qatar and Qatar Charity, will host the awards night and a series of events that will help raise awareness on humanitarian and environmental causes. The Doha 21st Century Leaders Awards ceremony and gala dinner, which will soon become an annual fixture, will mark the humanitarian and environmental achievements of individuals who have made a serious commitment and significant impact to their chosen cause. The award is given to individuals who have used their influence to raise awareness, their celebrated status to raise funds, and the respect which they have gained from successes in their chosen profession, to make positive policy changes to progress either environmental or humanitarian concerns. The 21st Century Leaders Foundation, which was started in 2003 by Charlotte di Vita MBE, will set up an office in Doha. Famous personalities, unsung Qatari heroes and social innovators from the region will be rewarded and recognised during the awards night. The recipients will receive an award that has been especially designed by respected artist and sculptor Lorenzo Quinn, who has a long history of being commissioned for public works in Qatar including the Give & Take statue marking the entrance of the Aspire Sports Academy in Doha. “We … bring our international 21st Century Leader Ambassadors of sports, art, film and music to Qatar for the benefit of the entire Qatari community, especially to inspire children and young people to learn about exciting innovations which can protect Qatar’s natural eco system,” said Di Vita, Founder and Director of 21st Century Leaders. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=October2009&file=Local_News2009102501956.xml

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