Indian physicist and environmentalist, Dr Vandana Shiva, has been announced as the recipient of the 2010 Sydney Peace Prize.Dr Shiva is being feted for her "courageous leadership of movements for social justice - the empowerment of women in developing countries, advocacy of the human rights of small farming communities and for her scientific analysis of environmental sustainability."
"Vandana Shiva's work highlights the fundamental connection between human rights and the protection of the environment," said Mary Kostakidis, Chair of the Sydney Peace Foundation, which is associated with the University of Sydney.
"Governments worldwide seek her counsel on sustainable development. She offers solutions to some of the most critical problems posed by the effects of globalisation and climate change on the poorest and most populous nations. Her voice is an essential one as we consider pressing decisions facing the global community."
Speaking from Delhi, Dr Shiva said that she was "honoured to receive this prestigious award and to follow in the footsteps of so many significant world citizens. The protection of biodiversity, support for women in agriculture and for all subsistence farmers are human rights issues which I'll address in Sydney."
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