World Cultural Council

The World Cultural Council is an international organization aiming to promote cultural values, goodwill, and philanthropy among individuals. The organization founded in 1982 and based in Mexico, has held a yearly award ceremony since 1984 by granting the Albert Einstein World Award of Science, the José Vasconcelos World Award of Education, and the Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts to outstanding scientists, educators, and artists, who have contributed positively to the cultural enrichment of mankind. The members of the Council include several Nobel laureates.

Founding members The founding members of the World Cultural Council are 124 distinguished personalities in such fields as the arts, biology, chemistry, physics, medicine, psychology, neuroscience, astronomy, oceanography, astrophysics, anthropology, and zoology. Some of these members are recipients of awards because of their outstanding achievements including the Nobel Prize, the National Medal of Science, the Copley Medal, the Royal Medal, the Albert Einstein Medal, the Albert Lasker Award and the Enrico Fermi Award. Some of the founders are also Foreign Members or Fellows of the Royal Society, Fellows of the American Physical Society, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

The 124 founding members of the World Cultural Council are:

Presidents of the World Cultural Council

Charles Tanford (1984-1987) Werner Stumm (1988-1991) José Estrada (1992-2007) Edmond H. Fischer (2008-2014) Colin Blakemore (2015-2021) Fraser Stoddart (2022-2024) Omar M. Yaghi (2025)

Award ceremonies Year Award Recipients Ceremony Host Ceremony Site Ceremony Host Country Ceremony DateRef.2025 Mercouri Kanatzidis World Cultural Council Museum of Contemporary Arts, Monterrey Mexico October 22, 2025 2024 Eske Willerslev, Cónal Creedon McGill University McGill University, Montreal Canada October 23, 2024 2023 Christoph Gerber, Larry V. Hedges University of Helsinki University of Helsinki, Helsinki Finland November 2–3, 2023 2022 Victoria M. Kaspi, Meejin Yoon, Claudia Mitchell University of Coimbra University of Coimbra, Coimbra Portugal November 29–30, 2022 2019 Zhong Lin Wang, Paulo Branco University of Tsukuba University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba Japan October 4, 2019 2018 Jean-Pierre Changeux, Malik Mâaza City University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Hong Kong November 8, 2018 2017 Omar M. Yaghi, Russell Hartenberger Leiden University Pieterskerk, Leiden Netherlands November 8, 20172016 Edward Witten, Kalevi Ekman Riga Technical University National Library of Latvia, Riga Latvia October 14, 20162015 Ewine van Dishoeck, Milton Masciadri University of Dundee Caird Hall, Dundee, Scotland United Kingdom November 19, 20152014 Philip Cohen, Federico Rosei Aalto University Otakaari 1 Building, Aalto University, Espoo Finland November 17, 20142013 Paul Nurse, Petteri Nisunen, Tommi Grönlund Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Auditorium, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Singapore October 2, 20132012 Michael Grätzel, Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht Aarhus University The Main Hall, Aarhus University, Aarhus Denmark April 18, 20122011 Geoffrey Ozin, Todd Siler University of Tartu Assembly Hall, University of Tartu, Tartu Estonia November 10, 20112010 Julio Montaner, Christian Azar Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México Aula Magna Adolfo López Mateos, UAEM, Toluca Mexico December 8, 20102009 John T. Houghton, Marcell Jankovics University of Liège Salle Académique, University of Liège, Liège Belgium November 25, 20092008 Ada Yonath, William G. Bowen Princeton University Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey United States November 11, 20082007 Fraser Stoddart, Anne Moeglin-Delcroix Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Teatro Universitario, Campus Mederos, Monterrey Mexico November 24, 20072006 Ahmed Zewail, Marlene Scardamalia Instituto Politécnico Nacional Sala Manuel M. Ponce, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City Mexico October 28, 20062005 John Hopfield, Enrique Norten Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Teatro de la Ciudad Fernando Soler, Saltillo Mexico November 12, 20052004 Ralph J. Cicerone, David Attenborough University of Liège Amphithéâtres de l’Europe, University of Liège, Liège Belgium November 8, 20042003 Martin Rees, Otto Piene University of Helsinki, Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters National Library of Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki Finland November 17, 20032002 Daniel H. Janzen, Jeannie Oakes Trinity College, Dublin Examination Hall, Trinity College, Dublin, Dublin Ireland November 14, 20022001 Niels Birbaumer, Edna Hibel Utrecht University , Utrecht Netherlands November 21, 20012000 Frank Fenner, Zafra M. Lerman University of the Witwatersrand Great Hall, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg South Africa November 1, 20001999 Robert Weinberg, Magdalena Abakanowicz Norwegian University of Science and Technology Main Building, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim Norway November 11, 19991998 Charles R. Goldman, Robert Yager Victoria University of Wellington Hunter Building, Wellington New Zealand November 19, 19981997 Jean-Marie Ghuysen Chulalongkorn University Main Auditorium, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok Thailand November 12, 19971996 Alec Jeffreys, Roger Gaudry University of Oxford Voltaire Room, Taylor Institution, Oxford United Kingdom November 23, 19961995 Herbert H. Jasper, Robert Rauschenberg INBA, CONACULTA Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City Mexico December 16, 19951994 Sherwood Rowland, Joseph O´Halloran CODATA, ICSU, UNESCO Le Manège Convention Center, Chambéry France September 19, 19941993 Ali Javan Presidencia de la República Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City Mexico December 19, 19931992 Raymond U . Lemieux, Elliot Eisner National Research Council (Canada) Lester B. Pearson Building, Ottawa Canada November 27, 19921991 Albrecht Fleckenstein Australian National University Chancellor's Building, ANU, Canberra Australia November 14, 19911990 Gustav Nossal, Lev Shevrin Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich Cupola Room, ETH Zürich, Zürich Switzerland November 22, 19901989 Martin Kamen, Athens Acropolis Preservation Group of Greece Massachusetts Institute of Technology Edgerton Hall, MIT, Cambridge United States November 8, 19891988 Margaret Burbidge, Gilbert De Landsheere Instituto Politécnico Nacional Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City Mexico November 19, 19881987 Hugh Huxley University of Heidelberg Alte Aula, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg Germany November 26, 19871986 Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan University of Guadalajara Teatro Degollado, Guadalajara Mexico November 6, 19861985 Werner Stumm, Dolores Hernández Royal Institute of Technology Kollegiesalen, Stockholm Sweden November 21, 19851984 Ricardo Bressani World Cultural Council Auditorio San Pedro, San Pedro Garza García Mexico November 29, 1984

Special recognitions

Starting in 2003, the World Cultural Council issues Special Recognitions to expert researchers connected to the host of the award ceremony, and which findings have been made available to the public.

Year Recognitions2017 Nadine Akkerman, Ann Brysbaert, Marike Knoef, Marianne Maeckelbergh, Victoria Nyst, Sarah De Rijcke, Alicia Schrikker, Martina Vijver, Inge van der Weijden2016 Elīna Gaile-Sarkane, , Tālis Juhna, Kaspars Kalniņš, Jānis Krastiņš, Oskars Krievs, Guntis Kuļikovskis, , Māris Turks2015 Catherine Heymans, Sara Brown, Sara Robertson, Sarah Coulthurst, Lisa DeBruine, Sinéad Rhodes2014 Camilla Hollanti, Katri Kauppi, Mauri Kostiainen, Matti Kuttinen, Jani Romanoff, Hele Savin2013 Educational Merit Medal: Bertil Andersson. Science: Juliana Chan, David Lou Xiong Wen, Wang Qijie, Zhang Hua. Education: Jasmine Sim Boon Yee2012 Educational Merit Medal: Lauritz Holm-Nielsen. Science: Anders Baun, Trine Bilde, Peter Brodersen, Johan P. U. Fynbo, Anja Groth, Jakob Søndergaard Jensen, Lars Bojer Madsen, Jesper Buus Nielsen2011 Educational Merit Medal: Alar Karis. Recognitions: Toomas Asser, Jaan Einasto, Kalle Kasemaa, Peeter Saari, Rein Taagepera, Jüri Talvet, Vaike Uibopuu, Urmas Varblane, Richard Villems20102009 Educational Merit Medal: Bernard Rentier. Science: Jean-Marie Baland, Christophe Caucheteur, Jérôme Cornil, Vinciane Despret, Luc Henrard, Steven Laureys. Arts: Mady Andrien, Patrick Davin, Jacques Delcuvellerie, Karel Logist, Jean-Philippe Toussaint2008 Science: Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe, Bonnie Bassler. Education: Douglas Massey, Cornel West.2007 Science: Germán Cisneros, María del Socorro Flores, Carlos Guerrero, Mario César Salinas, Óscar Torres. Arts: Alejandro Gómez, Adolfo Narváez, Alfonso Rangel, Ana Silvia Rodríguez, José Javier Villarreal2006 Science: René Drucker Colin, Octavio Paredes López, Gerardo Silverio Contreras2005 Science: Atocha Aliseda Llera (UNAM), Pavel Castro Villarreal (UNAM), Miguel Mellado Bosque (UAAAN). Arts: Elsa Cross, Felipe Garrido, Pilar Rioja.2004 Science: André Berger, Guy Brasseur, Arsène Burny, Jacques Pasteels, Marc Van Montagu. Education: Jean-Marie De Ketele, Hadelin Hainaut, Dieudonné Leclercq, Lieven Verschaeffel2003 Science: Sören Illiman, Markku Kulmala, Antti Vaheri. Arts: Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Hannu Kähönen, Yrjö Kukkapuro, Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi, Nina Roos, Henry Wuorila-Stenberg

World Cultural Council

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