South African Olympian and Paralympian Natalie Du Toit was honored for
her contribution to ethics and human values at the European Parliament
in Brussels, Belgium on Friday.
Du Toit won the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) Youth
Leadership Award for 2008. The award recognizes young leaders with an
astonishing track record of performance and/or social responsibility.
According to Christoph Glaser, a member of the IAHV Board in Europe, du Toit was selected because of her raw defiance in not giving up on her goals. "We admire her indomitable will and strong determination, and the fact that she has become a source of inspiration to the youth of her country."
"It is a real honor to be representing South Africa and to receive this award. I would like to give a message to everyone: it is possible for everybody to achieve something. I would also like to thank everyone for their support: the public in South Africa, the people close to me, everyone. Without teamwork these types of awards would not be possible," she said.
Du Toit received the award at the Ethics in Business - Corporate Culture & Spirituality Conference at the European Parliament. The event, organized by the International Association for Human Values (IAHV) brings together a diverse mix of politicians, academics, business and spiritual leaders to discuss issues about the global financial crisis and its connection to ethics in business.
The conference also provides a rare opportunity for 50 young professionals from 16 countries to present their vision for a sustainable future to the delegates of the conference
Previous Youth Leadership Award recipients include Suhas Gopinath, CEO & President of Globals Inc, who in 2000 at the age of 14 became the world's youngest CEO.
Gopinath received the IAHV Youth Leadership Award in 2007 for his outstanding performance, at such a young age, as an international business executive, and for establishing a platform which encourages youth in their chosen IT career and empowers them to improve their entrepreneurial and personal skills.
