AES Corporation Presents
The Indianapolis Prize Gala 2006 

It was more than five years in the planning, but when the audience of nearly one thousand guests rose in unison and delivered a thunderous standing ovation to the first recipient of the Indianapolis Prize, all the effort seemed so very worthwhile. That moment was the culmination of a process that involved some of the most talented, most influential and most accomplished conservationists from around the world as nominees for the Prize, members of the Prize Committee or part of its Nominating Committee or Jury.  The goal was to tell the stories of hard working conservationists and to honor them as the heroes they are, but so rarely see themselves as.

From left to right: Former Indianapolis Zoo Board of Trustees Chair Pawel Fludzinski, Indianapolis Prize Chair Myrta Pulliam, George Archibald holding the Lilly Medal, Indianapolis Zoo President and CEO Mike Crowther, and 2006 Emcee Jane Alexander.

Thanks to the commitment and dedication to the cause of the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, which provided the impetus and the funds in the beginning, it all came together beautifully.

From over 50 nominees, six were chosen as finalists, and the Jury selected the recipient from among those half dozen truly stellar members of the conservation community.  On August 22, 2006, the winner – Dr. George Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation – traveled to the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to be acknowledged formally as the Prize recipient and to begin a long campaign using the Prize as the keynote in promoting worldwide conservation of wildlife and wild places.  Everywhere he went, Archibald spoke with understanding, passion and grace about the endangered cranes to which he has devoted the last 40 years of his life.

On Saturday, September 30, the Indianapolis Prize Gala presented by the AES Corporation was staged in the massive Marriott Hotel Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis.  Jane Alexander, resplendent in a white gown and looking every inch the notable person she is, presided over a wonderful program filled with the stunningly beautiful videos featuring the finalists, the music of Cathy Morris and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, and a welcome from then Mayor Bart Peterson – all building toward that crescendo moment when Dr. Archibald stood before the audience.  In his hands he held the Lilly Medal, cast in bronze and encased inside a sculpted box of Indiana limestone.

In his remarks, Archibald discussed his beloved cranes and the need for the developed world, where crane species are recovering, to aid the developing world, where cranes are not only endangered, but rapidly disappearing completely from the landscape.  In true conservationist mode, Dr. Archibald put all of the $100,000 back into projects to save cranes in India, Russia and Asia.  He then called on stage with them the other three finalists present – Dr. Holly Dublin, Dr. Simon Stuart, and Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton – heroes all.

2010 Indianapolis Prize Gala

2008 Indianapolis Prize Gala