Davos 2013 opens with Crystal Awards presentation to three cultural leaders
Davos 2013 opens with Crystal Awards presentation to three cultural leaders Pictured: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at Davos 2013
The World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting – Davos 2013 – opened last night with the presentation of Crystal Awards to artist Vik Muniz, documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and the actress Charlize Theron.
The meeting was opened by WEF founder and executive chairman, Klaus Schwab, who welcomed more than 2,500 participants from over 100 countries, including nearly 50 heads of state or government, 1,500 business leaders, and representatives from civil society, media, academia and the arts, and called for “soul, heart, brains and good nerves”.
“It is my hope that you come out of this meeting with a vision that goes beyond crisis management,” he said.
At the opening, Hilde Schwab, chairperson and co-founder of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, presented the Crystal Award 2013 to Muniz, Obaid-Chinoy and Theron. She said the award aims to “celebrate artists who not only excel in their art but also help to improve the world”.
Pakistani Emmy and Oscar winning film maker Obaid-Chinoy said film has the power to change lives. A recent film of hers impacted legislation in Pakistan, causing acid attacks to be treated as terrorism and punished with prison terms. Other films have provided recognition and money for people who are risking their lives for change. “My mission as a filmmaker is not only to expose all the things that are happening around the world, but also to become a voice for those who cannot tell their own message,” she said.
South African Oscar winning actress Theron, founder of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, said she seeks to use the spotlight she attracts as an entertainer to draw attention to one of the world’s greatest problems, the HIV epidemic in South Africa in particular and sub-Saharan Africa in general. She said the eradication of mother-to-child HIV transmission was an “incredible stride” but said much work remains to ensure that youth has “the resources, skills and lifesaving information to lead an HIV-free life”.
New York-based, Brazilian artist Muniz said that, for him, the artist’s traditional task of combining materials and ideas had proven insufficient. For the past 10 years, he has worked to “use art as an element of inclusion” and “to make art a right, not a privilege”. To achieve these goals, he is taking art out of exclusive exhibition spaces. One such project, his work with Brazilian garbage pickers, became an award-winning documentary film, Waste Land.
The co-chairs of Annual Meeting 2013 are: Frederico Curado, president and chief executive officer, Embraer, Brazil; Muhtar A Kent, chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company, USA; Huguette Labelle, chair, Transparency International, Germany; Global Agenda Council on Responsible Mineral Resources Management; Andrew N Liveris, chairman and CEO, The Dow Chemical Company, USA; Atsutoshi Nishida, chairman, Toshiba Corporation, Japan; and Axel A Weber, chairman, UBS, Switzerland.