In conjunction with the forthcoming 4th Tang Prize Awarding Ceremony on November 20, eight laureate’s lectures have been scheduled for November 20 and 27. Anyone interested in topics concerning sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, Sinology, and the rule of law is cordially invited to visit the Foundation’s website and YouTube channel on these two Saturdays to watch these masters’ insightful analysis of issues including ecological conservation and environmental education, basic research on cytokines and the treatment of autoimmune diseases, the future of China, as well as human rights, social justice and democracy. Several laureates will also share stories about how they rose to difficult challenges when pursing their goals in their specific fields and how they were able to adopt a different mindset and found the solutions they needed.
Five lectures will be held on November 20, beginning at 10 a.m. with “From Wen to Shi: China’s Road,” delivered by Sinology winner Prof. Wang Gungwu. It will be followed by “Reasons for Hope,” a talk to be given by Dr. Jane Goodall, laureate in Sustainable Development. Three lectures by winners in Rule of Law will ensue in the evening. At 7:30p.m., the lecture, “Impact of PIL (Public Interest Litigation),” will be presented by the chief executive of The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association. At 8p.m., the representative from The Legal Agenda will be discussing “Public Interest Litigation in Undemocratic Arab Contexts: Lessons from The Legal Agenda Experiences.” To wrap it up for the evening, at 8:45p.m., two members of Dejusticia: The Center for Law, Justice and Society will be speaking on “Strategic Litigation, Democracy, and Social Justice: A Perspective from Dejusticia and Global South.”
Slated for November 27 are lectures by three laureates in Biopharmaceutical Science. At 4p.m., Dr. Charles Dinarello will be talking about “Interleukin-1, the Prime Mediator of Systemic and Local Inflammation.” Soon afterward, Dr. Marc Feldmann will be shedding light on “Translating Molecular Insights in Autoimmunity into Effective Therapy at 5p.m. Finally, at 6p.m., Dr. Tadamitsu Kishimoto will be sharing his knowledge of “Interleukin-6: From Arthritis to CAR-T and COVID-19.”
Each of the four award categories of the Tang Prize is closely related to the common challenges and concerns humanity has to deal with in the 21st century, as Dr. Jenn-Chuan Chern, CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation, pointed out that “Sustainable Development examines the relationship between humans and the environment; Biopharmaceutical Science addresses issues about human diseases and health; Sinology showcases Chinese culture and its contribution to human civilization; and Rule of Law explores the symbiotic relationship between people living in the same society.” Taking a holistic point of view, the eight laureates hope their inspiring stories will encourage people to adopt a multifaceted perspective and their voices can contribute to the restoration of order and stability in a post-pandemic world. All the lectures will be available to watch at the designated times (GMT+8) mentioned above. Simply log onto the Tang Prize website or Facebook page on November 20 and 27 and you will be able to enjoy a feast for your mind and soul.
