Glamorous news for the third Israeli Genesis Prize award ceremony: Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren is going to host the ‘Jewish Nobel’ at the end of June in Jerusalem. This year’s laureate is 16-time Grammy Award winning violinist Izhak Perlman.
Last year’s laureate was Michael Douglas, and the year before Michael R. Bloomberg – which led last year’s host Jay Leno to the witticism that you have to be named Michael in order to be nominated. However, in fact the award-winners are selected from a list of candidates nominated by leaders of hundreds of renowned institutions and organizations worldwide. Genesis Prize laureates have traditionally re-gifted their $1 million award to charitable causes of their choosing and Perlman already announced that he’ll follow this tradition by donating the endowment to philanthropic projects in the fields of music and support for individuals with special needs.
The ceremony takes place on June 23 in Jerusalem. ‘We are honoured that Dame Helen Mirren, an actress of such talent and accomplishment, will host the 2016 Genesis Prize ceremony and help us celebrate the extraordinary life and achievements of Itzhak Perlman,” said Co-Founder and Chairman of the Genesis Prize Foundation, Stan Polovets. “Dame Mirren has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, and we look forward to the elegance and grace she will bring to the ceremony.”
“I am honoured and humbled to have been asked to host the 2016 Genesis Prize award ceremony honouring the extraordinary musician, educator, and activist for the disabled, Itzhak Perlman,” said Dame Helen Mirren.
Last year’s Genesis Prize Award Ceremony in full length – with hilarious Jay Leno (from 05:25-17:12)
