[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 78 (Monday, May 14, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





    RECOGNIZING THE WINNERS OF THE 2018 GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to bring to the attention of all 
Senators the winners of the 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize, the 
world's largest and most prestigious award for grassroots environmental 
activism.
  Richard N. Goldman, 1920-2010, and his wife Rhoda H. Goldman, 1924-
1996, established the prize in 1989. They had devoted much of their 
lives to environmental protection, and they conceived of the prize in 
order to recognize ordinary individuals working at the grassroots level 
who protect and enhance the Earth's environment.
  As the Goldman Prize website states, ``It views `grassroots' leaders 
as those involved in local efforts, where positive change is created 
through community or citizen participation in the issues that affect 
them. Through recognizing these individual leaders, the Prize seeks to 
inspire other ordinary people to take extraordinary actions to protect 
the natural world.'' The award ceremony, held annually in both San 
Francisco and Washington, DC, is one of the year's most inspiring 
events.
  Since Richard and Rhoda Goldman passed away, their three children 
have continued the prize. In doing so, they have honored courageous 
individuals from Africa, Asia, Europe, islands and island nations, 
North America, and South and Central America who have struggled for 
years, often against overwhelming odds, to protect endangered 
ecosystems and species, combat destructive development projects, 
promote sustainable environmental and energy policies, and obtain 
environmental justice.
  Recipients of the prize are often from isolated rural communities or 
impoverished urban neighborhoods who have in common a lack of prior 
experience in activism, politics, or the law, but what they also share 
is that, when the forests, farmland, water, and air that their 
children, families, and communities depend on for their health and 
survival were faced with potentially existential threats, they took 
great personal risks to challenge those responsible, whether private 
industry, criminal networks, governments, or a combination of all 
three.
  Their struggles, beginning with one or a handful of concerned 
individuals, grew to encompass whole communities and in some instances 
ignited national movements. What first seemed like tilting at windmills 
was eventually, through dogged and brave perseverance, shown to be 
possible, often after exposing lies, unbridled greed, and corruption on 
the part of large corporations and their accomplices at the highest 
levels of government.
  By doing so, they have reminded us of the grave perils our planet 
faces today, that a single individual--regardless of his or her station 
in life--when moved to act can transform cynicism and despair into 
activism and change and that each of us has a responsibility to follow 
their example.
  This year's prize winners, who deserve our admiration and thanks, are 
as follows: Europe, Claire Nouvian of France; South and Central 
America, Francia Marquez of Colombia; islands and island nations, Manny 
Calonzo of the Philippines; Africa, Makoma Lekalakala and Liz McDaid of 
South Africa; Asia, Khanh Nguy Thi of Vietnam; and North America, 
LeeAnne Walters of Flint, MI.
  I urge all Senators to go to the Goldman Environmental Prize website 
and read the inspiring stories of these extraordinary, ordinary 
individuals. The people of their countries are rightfully proud of them 
and grateful for what they have done to protect the health of their 
communities and of future generations. Their governments should 
likewise afford them the respect and recognition they deserve.
  I commend the Goldman siblings for carrying on their parents' 
generous legacy and educating all of us about these role models for the 
world.

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