China International Communications Group (CICG) announced the shortlists for the inaugural Orchid Awards at a press conference held in Beijing on Wednesday.
The Orchid Awards was initiated by CICG in 2022, aiming to facilitate cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and the rest of the world.
Lu Cairong, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), announces the shortlists for the inaugural Orchid Awards at a press conference in Beijing on July 12, 2023. [Photo/CICG]
Lu Cairong, vice president of CICG, attended the event and announced the 30 candidates for the awards. He said one winner will be selected for the Lifetime Honorary Award, three for the Outstanding Achievement Award, and six for the Friendship Envoy Award.
Lu said the Orchid Awards is different from the Chinese Government Friendship Award and the Special Book Award of China as it honors individuals and organizations from the entire cultural arena including literature, art, film and television, publishing, translation, education, science and technology, health, media, folk culture, digital culture, and people-to-people exchange. He said he hopes the awards can bring unique honor to individuals and organizations who are committed to promoting cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world.
Fan Di'an, vice chairman of the Orchid Awards Expert Committee and chairman of the China Artists Association, speaks at a press conference in Beijing on July 12, 2023. [Photo/CICG]
Fan Di'an, vice chairman of the Orchid Awards Expert Committee and chairman of the China Artists Association, unveiled the logo of the awards and explained its cultural significance. He said the orchid is an embodiment of elegance in traditional Chinese culture, symbolizing the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. For these awards, the orchid also represents mutual learning among different civilizations, Fan said.
Chen Shi, secretary-general of the Secretariat of the Orchid Awards, speaks at a press conference in Beijing on July 12, 2023. [Photo/CICG]
Chen Shi, secretary-general of the Secretariat of the Orchid Awards, said the awards have drawn wide attention from around the globe, receiving 314 individual applications as well as applications from 33 organizations.
China International Communications Group (CICG) holds a press conference on the inaugural Orchid Awards in Beijing on July 12, 2023. [Photo/CICG]
Shortlists for the inaugural Orchid Awards:
(Alphabetically ordered by surname)
Candidates for the Lifetime Honorary Award:
Rashid Alimov, Tajikistan
Chao-Yeh Chia-Ying Florence, Canada
Joseph W. Polisi, U.S.
Candidates for the Outstanding Achievement Award:
Flora Botton Beja, Mexico
Malcolm Clarke, U.K.
David Ferguson, U.K.
Phinij Jarusombat, Thailand
Tiziana Lippiello, Italy
Thomas Rabe, Germany
Essam Sharaf, Egypt
Maxime Vivas, France
Frances Wood, U.K.
Candidates for the Friendship Envoy Award:
Martin Azzopardi, Malta
Fatma Ahmad Abdulla Albastaki, the United Arab Emirates
Laurence J. Brahm, U.S.
William Neil Brown, U.S.
Cu Thi Thuy Lan, Vietnam
Dino Patti Djalal, Indonesia
Carrillo Gantner, Australia
Taras Ivchenko, Russia
Zafar-Ud-Din Mahmood, Pakistan
Andrew T. Mok, U.S.
Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, Kyrgyzstan
Luis Antonio Paulino, Brazil
Alicia Relinque, Spain
Justyna Katarzyna Szpakowska, Poland
Takeuchi Ryo, Japan
Roula Tsokalidou, Greece
Yang Yongju, France
