Laureus chairman and visionary Ed Moses to be honored by UNESCO

•    ‘We are overjoyed to honour Edwin Moses for his outstanding social achievements’ – says UNESCO Special Ambassador Dr Ute-Henriette Ohoven
•    Edwin Moses says: ‘This is a great moment for me…this is not just a personal honour, but an acknowledgement of the work ofLaureus since its creation’
•    Also to be honoured is former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev

LONDON, November 11, 2011 – Dr Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, is to be honoured by UNESCO for his work with socially disadvantaged young people and as a global advocate for fair and doping-free sport, at a 20th anniversary charity gala in Dusseldorf, Germany on November 19.

UNESCO Special Ambassador Dr Ute-Henriette Ohoven said: “We are overjoyed to have such an impressive personality as Dr. Edwin Moses at our gala and to honour him for his outstanding social achievements. He has not only written sports history, he is also a man of vision and has his heart in the right place.” Thomas Goesmann, Managing Director of the Foundation for UNESCO, added: “Dr Moses is an example for all of us.”

More than 1.400 guests from culture, politics, business, sport and entertainment will be present in Dusseldorf to salute Dr Moses. The commendation will be read by Academy Award Winner and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Forest Whitaker.

Edwin Moses said: “This is a great moment for me. The work of UNESCO and Laureusboth focuses on helping young people around the world, there is an immense amount of synergy between the two organisations. I regard this not just as a personal honour for me, but as an acknowledgement and tribute to the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation since its creation more than ten years ago.”

As a double Olympic gold medal winner at 400 metres hurdles, he was a prodigious competitor – at one point in his career going nine years, nine months and nine days without being beaten. He became the first Chairman of Laureus in 2000, a position which he has retained ever since.

The UNESCO tribute says: “An Olympic champion, sports administrator, diplomat and businessman, he is one of the most respected and recognised athletes of our time.  He has resolutely served and promoted the Olympic movement and fostered the development of drug-free sports and the rights of amateur athletes at all levels.  His experience as a distinguished Olympic champion and world record holder has earned him the esteem of the international sports community.”

Also to be honoured is Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, whose commendation will be presented by former German Federal Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.

Other high-profile UNESCO supporters present will be Hollywood stars Kathleen Turner, Vin Diesel, Jet Li and Olivier Martinez, top models Jerry Hall and Naomi Campbell, classical singer Katherine Jenkins and pop stars Melanie C and Gianna Nannini.

Edwin Moses is Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy whose members volunteer their time to act as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The mission of the Laureus Foundation is to use sport as the means to combat some of the world’s toughest social challenges facing young people today such as juvenile crime, gangs, HIV/AIDS, discrimination, social exclusion, landmines awareness and health problems such as obesity.

Since its inception La ureus has raised over €40 million to support projects which have helped to improve the lives of over one-and-a-half million young people.

With more than 400 projects in 97 countries, the UNESCO programme for the Education of Children in Need creates already since 1992 structures which help children, adolescents and their families to create a better future. (Courtesy: Laureus)