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The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and LRN Celebrate 20 Years of Inspiring Ethical Leadership Among America's College StudentsNew York and Los Angeles, Oct. 7, 2009 — A year into the global financial crisis, a time where we are facing challenges large and small all over the world, The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and LRN are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest, an annual competition that challenges college students in the U.S. to reflect upon the urgent ethical issues confronting us in today's complex world. "Whatever the answer to essential questions of society and individual human beings may be, education is surely its major component. But what would education be without its ethical dimension? Many of us believe them to be inseparable. That is why this Prize in Ethics Essay Contest was established in 1989 by our Foundation," said Elie Wiesel, founder of The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. "Thousands of students from hundreds of colleges and universities across the nation have participated. Through their writing, they explored their concerns and beliefs, their fears and their hopes." "The Foundation has inspired many ethical leaders who have ethical knowledge to do the right things and the moral courage to act on that knowledge, no matter how inconvenient or unpopular," said Dov Seidman, chairman and CEO of LRN. "Our partnership with the Foundation is designed to inspire a generation of Americans who see ethical decision making and ethical leadership as the surest, most sustainable path to finding success and significance in a more connected and complex global society, something that is more important today than ever." Thousands of young people from the U.S. and the world have participated in the Foundation's Prize in Ethics since its inception. Undergraduate students in their junior or senior year of studies are invited to submit essays 3,000-4,000 words in length, which are reviewed anonymously by a panel of jurors. This year's judging panel included Elie Wiesel, Dov Seidman, Ted Koppel and other thought leaders and academics. Students are also required to identify a faculty sponsor at their institution who reviews and signs off on the essay prior to its submission. Through their writing, students have explored topics ranging from affirmative action, cultural and religious discriminations and injustices, and current events such as the war in Iraq, to struggles of Bosnian women, the loss of moral conscience, and the evaluation of modern ethics. Winners have gone on to work in countless fields, including journalism, academia, philosophy and religion, and all take with them a profound recollection and appreciation for the impact that acting with integrity plays in their daily lives. The 2009 winners include Zohar Atkins, Brown University; Alamdar Murtaza, University of Rochester; Alexander Englert, Gettysburg College; Rita Change, University of Delaware; and Daniel Ming, Vassar College. For this anniversary year of the Prize in Ethics, the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and LRN are encouraging greater national dialogue on ethical issues. An award ceremony, to be held October 8th in New York City, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics as well as recognize the many students who have been honored through the program. The ceremony will be followed by several other events planned throughout the year. About The Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest About The Elie Wiesel Foundation For Humanity About LRN: Inspiring Principled Performance For more information, please contact: Alex Heit ### |
