THE 2006 WORLD FOOD PRIZE was formally awarded to Mr. Edson Lobato of the US, Dr. A. Colin McClung of the US and H.E. Alysson Paolinelli of Brazil on October 19 in the House Chamber of the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. The ceremony took place during the annual Borlaug Dialogue. The 2006 theme was "The Green Revolution Redux: Can We Replicate the Single Greatest Period of Food Production in Human History?"
Mr. Lobato, Dr. McClung, and H.E. Paolinelli were selected for their vital role in transforming the infertile Cerrado in Brazil into productive cropland.
Attended by dignitaries and experts from more than 66 countries, the Laureate Award Ceremony was a spectacular celebration of the Twentieth Anniversary of the World Food Prize.
The evening was highlighted by the world premiere of the World Food Prize commissioned choral piece "The Laureate Call," with text by Ben and Julianne Allaway, music by Ben Allaway and made possible by the generous support of Arthur Neis.
Other performers at the ceremony were Iowa musicians Maurita Murphy Mead and Juan Tony Guzman, Brazilian twin brothers and renowned classical violinists Wagner and Walter Caldas, and a special performance of John Denver's "All This Joy," performed by the Iowa Youth Chorus under director Kristen Stanton. (Learn more about the performers)
H.E. Virasakdi Futrakul of Thailand, Hon. Tom Harkin and Hon. Sally Pederson were among the featured speakers at the ceremony. (See complete program of events)
Read more about the Laureates here.
Laureates Lobato, McClung, and Paolinelli accept 2006 World Food Prize