Lois Kleffman: 859-986-0868
for immediate release: Monday, April
24, 2006
CWWG DIRECTOR TO RECEIVE HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
SAN FRANCISCO--Tonight Craig Williams,
Director of the KY-based Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG), is to be awarded
the prestigious 2006 Goldman Environmental Prize. The $125,000 Prize, created
by philanthropist Richard N. Goldman in 1990, is awarded annually to six
grassroots “environmental heroes”—one from each of six continental regions.
Often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for the Environment,” it is the largest
award of its kind in the world.
Mr. Williams, who organized the CWWG and has guided
the national citizens’ coalition for 15 years, was chosen to receive the award
for North America. He is being honored for his unprecedented success in effecting
environmentally protective changes in Pentagon decisions concerning destruction
of the US stockpile of chemical weapons. Because of Mr. Williams’ non-stop
diligence and strategic acuity, he and the CWWG were able to successfully
convince the world’s biggest bureaucracy—the Pentagon—to stretch far beyond
its historic mindset and to:
- identify, test and deploy destruction technologies
that are safe for the environment and residents of affected communities, rather
than the Army’s preferred and dangerous option of burning the weapons; and
- include citizens as participants in making decisions
throughout the destruction process.
As one of six Prize recipients, Mr. Williams is among
“the most important people you have never heard of,” according to Mr. Goldman.
“All of them have fought, often alone and at great personal risk, to protect
the environment in their home countries. Their incredible achievements are
an inspiration to all of us.”
Mr. Williams said of receiving this year’s Prize,
“It is humbling for me to be in the presence of my fellow recipients and
to learn of their accomplishments. I know that all the work represented by
these dedicated citizens of the world has made it easier for each of us to
work for healthy environments in our own communities. Tonight, by awarding
a few, the important work of hundreds of thousands of people world wide will
also be honored.”
Mr. Williams is to be presented with the award in
the San Francisco Opera House at 5 p.m. From California, the Prize recipients
will travel to the nation’s capitol on April 26 for a press conference followed
by a second Prize ceremony at the National Geographic Society.
This year's other winners are: Anne Kajir from
Papua New Guinea; Olya Melen from Lviv, Ukraine; Silas Siakor from Monrovia,
Liberia; Tarcisio Feitosa Da Silva from Altamira, Brazil; and Yu Xiaogang
from Kunming, China.
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Biographical information and photographs of
this year’s winners.
Additional information about the Goldman Prize.
