accept the award in person, and accept a charitable donation that she will in turn gift to the Elton John AIDS Foundation to support their work combating HIV among disadvantaged youth in the U.S.

RACHEL CORRIE

RACHEL CORRIE was a 23-year-old American peace activist from Olympia, Washington, who was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer on 16 March 2003, while undertaking nonviolent direct action to protect the home of a Palestinian family from demolition.

The Foundation conducts programs that foster connections between people, that build understanding, respect, and appreciation for differences, and that promote cooperation within and between local and global communities. The foundation encourages and supports grassroots efforts in pursuit of human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice, which they view as pre-requisites for world peace.

Rachel Corrie’s parents,Cindy and Craig Corrie, will accept the award on Rachel’s behalf. The monetary prize will be received by the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice.

Perkins has lectured at universities on four continents, and is now in the process of bringing out his latest book.

John Perkins will attend the ceremony himself. The monetary prize will be given to Dream Change, non-profit organization that promotes empowerment and positive change for more balanced and sustainable communities worldwide.

CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS

CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS was an author and journalist with a career that spanned four decades writing for many of the world’s most prestigious news outlets such as The Atlantic, The Nation, Vanity Fair, The Daily Mirror and many more.

He authored twelve books and five collections of essays and was nominated for the National Book