32nd Kyoto Prize: The Inamori Foundation recognises prominent figures from the fields of robotics, medicine and philosophy

This year’s prize winners received the Kyoto Prize at an awards ceremony today. The Inamori Foundation is awarding the prestigious annual prize for the 32nd time this year on 10 November, recognising and honouring the life’s work of researchers and thinkers who have made significant contributions to science and culture. Three laureates from the fields of Arts and Philosophy, Advanced Technology and Basic Sciences received the award at the Kyoto International Conference Center in the former imperial city. Princess Takamado, a member of the Japanese imperial family, was also in attendance as well as over a thousand guests who were invited from the fields of science, culture and politics all over the world. The award includes a diploma, the Kyoto Prize medal and prize money of 50 million yen (approx. €430,000).

The Kyoto Prize: An award steeped in tradition

The Kyoto Prize was established in 1984 by Kazuo Inamori, founder of Kyocera, a Japanese technology Group headquartered in Kyoto, Japan.

The Inamori Foundation, also founded by Kazuo Inamori, awards the prize every year in November in three categories: Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences and Arts and Philosophy.

Prize winners in the last 32 years include prominent figures such as the late choreographer Pina Bausch, philosopher Jürgen Habermas, Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, French composer Pierre Boulez as well as molecular biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi, who received the Nobel Prize for his research this year.

The Kyoto Prize

The Inamori Foundation is awarding the 32nd Kyoto Prize this year, honouring those who have made a significant contribution to art and science. Previous winners of the prize include the French composer Pierre Boulez, German choreographer Pina Bausch, philosopher Jürgen Habermas, Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, musician and conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, artists Maurice Béjart and Roy Lichtenstein as well as primatologist Jane Goodall.

You can find more information on the Kyoto Prize and the Inamori Foundation at http://www.kyotoprize.org/en/