The Foundation Hosts the Civic Energy Awards Luncheon
The Shinnyo-en Foundation hosted the Civic Energy Awards Luncheon on the occasion of the 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service on June 22, 2009 at the Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco. The luncheon was co-convened by Points of Light Institute and the Corporation for National and Community Service and a presentation of the following awards was held: the Inaugural Governor Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver’s Medals for Service Award, Points of Light Institute, and the Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Pathfinders to Peace Awards.
The Shinnyo-en Foundation was one of the sponsors of the 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Services that was held in San Francisco on June 22-24, 2009. This is the world’s largest gathering of volunteer and civic leaders where more than 4,000 individuals from across the nations are came together to learn from volunteer and service experts from across the country; to connect with volunteer leaders, nonprofit organizations, corporate and government partners; and to be inspired by the San Francisco and the Bay Area for its innovative practices.
As part of its Third Annual Pathfinders to Peace Awards, the Foundation honored three awardees:
Maria Shriver, First Lady, State of California
Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor and Professor of Physics, University of California, Berkeley
Nan Peterson, Service Learning Director, Blake School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Beloved celebrity, Steve Guttenberg was Master of Ceremonies, who is also known for his philanthropic work, along with Bianca Ryan (2005 winner of America’s Got Talent) who performed a special “Six Billion Paths to Peace” song at the event.
The awards ceremony was conducted under the umbrella of the Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Six Billion Paths to Peace Project that seeks to encourage individuals to become more aware of their daily actions to bring about a more peaceful world. More than 300 people were in attendance and all left more inspired and uplifted after the event.
For anyone interested in reading an interview the Chancellor gave to the Diversity Officer Magazine at UC Berkeley please go click here.
