San Diego to Welcome 20th Annual Kyoto Prize Laureates for Fourth Annu

    Business Editors/News Editors/Education Writers

    SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2005--

    For the first time, 2005 Symposium will feature laureate lectures
    at San Diego's three major university campuses, March 2-4, 2005

    The Inamori Foundation and the Kyoto Symposium Organization will bring together the current laureates of the annual Kyoto Prize for a symposium showcasing the laureates' lifelong achievements March 2-4, 2005, through public events at San Diego State University; University of California, San Diego; and the University of San Diego.
    Recognized as Japan's highest private award for lifetime achievement, the Kyoto Prize is presented annually by the non-profit Inamori Foundation to honor those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual development of mankind. "I am convinced that the future of humanity can be assured only through a balance of scientific progress and spiritual depth," said Dr. Kazuo Inamori, founder of the Inamori Foundation. "It is my sincere hope that the Kyoto Prize may serve to encourage the cultivation of both our scientific and spiritual sides."
    The benefit gala, "The Kyoto Prize: 20 Years of Celebrating Outstanding Human Achievement," will serve as the opening ceremony of this year's symposium at 6:00 p.m., March 2, 2005, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. The gala will honor the Kyoto Prize laureates and assist in funding the Kyoto Scholarships, which are available to San Diego and Tijuana-area high school students, administered through The San Diego Foundation. Six Kyoto Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the gala -- three from San Diego and three from Tijuana -- reflecting the three annual Kyoto Prize categories of Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy. Gala co-chairs include Malin Burnham of the Burnham Companies, Tom Fat of Fat City, Inc. and Hideki (Dick) Komiyama, president and COO of Sony Electronics Inc.
    The Symposium lectures will take place March 3-4 with presentations by the 2004 Kyoto Prize laureates and responses by distinguished scholars in each laureate's field. The laureates -- Dr. Alan Curtis Kay, Dr. Alfred George Knudson, Jr. and Prof. Jurgen Habermas -- will provide a rare glimpse into some of the most remarkable achievements of our time in the areas of information science, cancer research, and philosophy.
    Gala Co-chair Malin Burnham, noted philanthropist, business leader and chairman of the Kyoto Symposium Organization, reported witnessing a rising level of community support and excitement surrounding the symposium since his return from the Kyoto Prize award ceremony in November as part of a San Diego contingent of business, academic and community leaders. "The Kyoto Prize is an extremely prestigious award," he stated. "Establishing San Diego as the permanent home of the Kyoto Laureate Symposium would elevate the international status of our fine city while providing an excellent intellectual resource for our community at large. People are starting to recognize the significance of the Kyoto Prize and want to ensure the success of the symposium here."
    Inamori established his foundation in 1984 with a personal donation of 20 billion yen; his subsequent donations have raised its net assets to approximately 64.4 billion Yen (about $610 million) as of March 31, 2004. He created the Kyoto Prize after consultation with the Nobel Foundation of Sweden, which sent representatives to Japan in 1985 to accept the first Kyoto Prize as a special commemorative award.
    As of November 2004, the Kyoto Prize has been awarded to 66 laureates from 12 countries -- ranging from scientists, engineers and researchers to philosophers, painters, architects, sculptors, musicians and film directors. Laureates receive a diploma, a Kyoto Prize medal, and a cash award of 50 million yen (approximately $470,000) per prize category. The United States has produced the most recipients, with 29 laureates, followed by the United Kingdom (nine), Japan (eight) and France (seven).

    The Latest Kyoto Prize Laureates:

    Advanced Technology

    The 2004 Kyoto Prize for Advanced Technology was chosen from the field of Information Science. Dr. Alan Curtis Kay, 64, of Los Angeles, received the award for creating the concept of modern personal computing and contributing to its realization.
    Few innovations of the past century have influenced human society as profoundly as personal computing. In the second half of the 1960s, when the mainstream trend was toward ever-larger computers, Dr. Kay proposed the concept of a "personal" computer as a tool to support the intellectual work of individuals, and thus initiated a paradigm shift in the world of information technology. In addition, his success as a pioneer in the development of the graphical user interface and object-oriented language environment represent further fundamental contributions toward making today's "personal" computing a reality.

    Basic Sciences

    The 2004 Kyoto Prize for Basic Sciences was chosen from the field of Life Science. Alfred G. Knudson, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., 82, of Philadelphia, received the award for establishing the theory of the tumor suppressor gene in the mechanism of human carcinogenesis.
    Dr. Knudson's landmark research supports the front line in humanity's war on this disease by helping to elucidate how cancer develops in humans. In the early 1970s, Dr. Knudson proposed the "two-hit" hypothesis as a genetic mechanism of carcinogenesis through an elegant statistical analysis of retinoblastoma, a pediatric eye cancer. He soon advanced this hypothesis and reached the concept that mutational changes in the "anti-oncogene," now termed the "tumor suppressor gene," underlie the development of cancer. His "two-hit" hypothesis and the concept of "tumor suppression" have opened a new horizon in modern cancer genetics and played a pivotal role in recent major developments in cancer research.

    Arts and Philosophy

    The 2004 Kyoto Prize for Arts and Philosophy was chosen from the field of Thought and Ethics. Philosopher Jurgen Habermas, Ph.D., 75, of Starnberg, Germany, received the award for achievements in social philosophy, in particular his establishment of the communicative action theory and discourse ethics, and their practical application.
    Two world wars and persistent regional conflicts made the 20th century one of the most violent periods in human history. Prof. Habermas, who lived in Germany during World War II, has focused his life's work and study on how to create an ideal, public-minded society, free of violence and oppression. His theories of Communicative Action and Discourse Ethics model the pursuit of mutual understanding and agreement as a basis for more democratic social communication. In addition to receiving the Kyoto Prize, Prof. Habermas was named by TIME magazine as one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People" of 2004.

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CONTACT: Alarus Agency for the Kyoto Laureate Symposium Stephanie Kellems, 619-235-4542 Cell: 619-347-2715 E-mail: skellems@alarus.biz or Inamori Foundation Liaison Jay Scovie, 858-576-2674

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA PENNSYLVANIA JAPAN SWEDEN GERMANY UNITED KINGDOM FRANCE INTERNATIONAL ASIA PACIFIC EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MANUFACTURING EDUCATION MEDICAL CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD HARDWARE TRADESHOW SOURCE: Inamori Foundation

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