SRK, Blanchett and Elton John to Receive WEF’s Crystal Award

WEF opined that “each one of them in their own way has taken action to uphold human dignity.”

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The World Economic Forum's (WEF) 48th annual meeting is set to begin later in January. This year's theme for the meeting is "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World."

The four-day WEF meeting will be chaired by seven women. These include Founder and Chair of Mann Deshi Foundation Chetna Sinha, managing director of IMF, Christine Lagarde, and Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg.

The 24th Annual Crystal Awards will be presented at this meeting in Davos, with our own King Khan being a recipient. Along with him, Hollywood star Cate Blanchett and iconic musician Sir Elton John will be honoured with the award.

Announcing the names of the three awardees, the WEF opined that "each of them in their own way has taken action to uphold human dignity."

The award ceremony will commence on 22 January.

Here's a little more about the three recipients and why they deserve the honour.

Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan.

The Bollywood superstar is the founder of a non-profit called Meer Foundation, which provides livelihood support to female victims of acid attacks and major injuries, along with medical treatment, legal aid, vocational training and rehabilitation.

With victims of acid attacks I have had the privilege to witness the unparalleled courage and compassion that women are capable of. I have seen the transformative strength of goodness and the healing power of gentleness.

Shah Rukh Khan, as reported by PTI

He has also been responsible for the creation of specialised children's hospital wards and has given support to childcare centres with free boarding for children undergoing treatment for cancer.

The WEF also pointed out that Shah Rukh Khan is one of Bollywood's most prominent actors and has been at the forefront of the Indian film and television industry for over 30 years.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett.

This internationally acclaimed award-winning actor and director was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Global Goodwill Ambassador in 2016. She was appointed in recognition of her commitment to refugees.

Blanchett has lent her voice and influence to raising awareness about the issue and has been actively fundraising for the UNHCR.

As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, my job is simple: to help connect people to the human stories of those forced to flee, and to state the case for all of us to stand with refugees.

Cate Blanchett, as reported by PTI

She has met refugees in countries including Lebanon, Jordon and her home country Australia, and has been advocating increased solidarity and sharing of responsibility for the 65 million-plus displaced across the world. Cate Blanchett has also brought her creative skills to bear in sharpening focus on the individual human stories that lie behind the vast number.

Sir Elton John

A file photo of Elton John. 

One of the world's most successful solo music artists with a career spanning more than five decades, Sir Elton John is also the founder of Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF).

EJAF is a leading non-profit organisation focusing on HIV/AIDS, and has raised more than US $400 million to support hundreds of HIV/AID prevention, service and advocacy programmes around the globe.

If we want to give the next generation a better future, we could solve this problem. What it takes is our collective passion and compassion.

Sir Elton John, as reported by PTI

In 1998, Queen Elizabeth knighted him ‘Sir’ Elton John, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for his services to music and charitable causes.

Previous awardees include Anne-Sophie Mutter, Forest Whitaker, Shakira, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ravi Shankar, Amjad Ali Khan, Mallika Sarabhai and Amitabh Bachchan.

(With inputs from PTI)