International leadership awards to honour Sir Edmund Hillary
22 January 2007
Christchurch
New Zealand
An Institute is being founded to recognize and foster outstanding international leadership in the name of Sir Edmund Hillary, who has just completed a commemorative visit to the Antarctic.
The project’s spokesperson, David Caygill of Christchurch, New Zealand said the Hillary Institute would be officially launched in November 2007, with Prime Minister Helen Clark as its Patron.
“The Institute will be a fitting tribute to Sir Edmund’s extraordinary life, and put New Zealand on the world stage, in the context of our country’s long tradition of humanitarian and social leadership,” said David Caygill, a former New Zealand finance minister.
“The idea of the Hillary Institute takes its inspiration from Sir Edmund Hillary’s lifetime of personal achievement, and from his service to the Sherpa peoples of the Himalaya region,” said David Caygill.
The Hillary Institute is to confirm its full agenda of a $NZ1 million international leadership award (called the Hillary Step) and supporting activities in November 2007. The Institute will award the prize every four years.
Since conquering Everest in 1953, Sir Edmund led the New Zealand party in Antarctica in 1956-57 which established Scott Base, going on to travel to both the North and South Poles and has over the last fifty years dedicated himself primarily to the Sherpa people through the Himalayan Trust.
Principals and trustees of the Christchurch, New Zealand-based Institute include Arts Council of New Zealand - Toi Aotearoa Chair, Christopher Doig, Christchurch City Mayor Garry Moore, Ngai Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon, Employers’ Chamber of Commerce CEO Peter Townsend and sustainable development writer Mark Prain.
The Institute will however have an international focus with the advisory board (called the Hillary Summit) already having representatives across four continents.
They include international leadership analyst and best-selling author Manfred Kets de Vries of the Insead Institute (France), and Ray Anderson of Interface Inc. (Atlanta), recognised as one of the globe’s most progressive CEOs and co-chairman of former President Clinton’s Council on Sustainable Development.
The Hillary Step is intended to recognise someone who has already displayed outstanding leadership, but who is still in mid-career. This would help the awardee’s further leadership.
By November 2007 professional staff would be appointed to the Institute, and the field of leadership activity for the first Hillary Step leadership award announced.
The award would then become the focus of the Institute’s first four-year cycle of activity, leading to the first Hillary Step in 2011. The international award would be made on the recommendation of the Hillary Summit.
”In the time since the formation of the Hillary Institute had been mooted, quite extraordinary expressions of support had been received from individuals around the world in recognition of the Institute’s leadership vision and respect for Sir Edmund Hillary.
The Institute’s first substantial capital fund donor is Christchurch businesswoman Jan Cameron.
“Jan has challenged individual Kiwi donors to match her contribution towards the building of a substantial capital fund, to enable the Hillary Step award to provide at least $NZ1 million to its recipient on a four-yearly basis”, said David Caygill.
David Caygill thanked Sir Edmund Hillary and June Lady Hillary, the Prime Minister and Jan Cameron for their vision and support.
For further information Contact David Caygill: 0274 325 228 + 64 274 325 22