Pres. Clinton is Physicians for Peace's 2010 Humanitarian Award winner in observance of World Humanitarian Day

President Clinton joined by Medical Diplomat Award winners Karotkin, Jones, Boukhriss

NORFOLK, VA (08/18/2010)(readMedia)-- Physicians for Peace has announced that President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, will be the recipient of the 2010 Charles E. Horton Award for Humanitarian Service via video. President Clinton will be recognized on October 2, 2010, during the Physicians for Peace annual gala reception in Virginia Beach. Physicians for Peace mobilizes healthcare educators to take their teaching skills to developing countries to improve the quality of healthcare for disadvantaged populations.

According to the Physicians for Peace Chairman of the Board, Buzz Heidt, who made the announcement, "This award is named in honor of our founder, distinguished humanitarian Dr. Charles E. Horton, Sr. It is given annually to an individual for their extraordinary and selfless humanitarian service to alleviate human suffering, particularly in developing countries. The President has demonstrated time and again his personal commitment to helping others throughout his career, particularly with his relief and recovery efforts following the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and now, in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti."

Since 2001, President Clinton has dedicated himself to philanthropy and continued public service through the William J. Clinton Foundation, which is focused on finding practical and measurable solutions to address pressing challenges at home and abroad.

Being recognized alongside President Clinton at the October 2 gala reception are mission volunteers honored in three categories: Dr. Ed Karotkin-Physician, Robin Jones-non-Physician, Medical, and Mr. Omar Boukhriss-mission support. Each recipient has demonstrated on-going, selfless contributions to the achievement of the Physicians for Peace mission in five areas, including training and education, clinical/research excellence and delivery of health care services.

Dr. Karotkin has led several educational missions in Neonatal Resuscitation to train physicians, residents, nurses and other healthcare professionals in Latin America and India. Robin Jones has, to-date, spent 8 weeks in the village of Pampaida in Nigeria, working with the local doctor and assistants educating them on Maternal and Child health to ensure better outcomes for mothers and infants. Omar Boukhriss has helped to facilitate the development of educational missions to train surgeons throughout Morocco by hosting fundraising events, underwriting parts of the mission costs, establishing contacts, and by serving as a translator and cultural liaison on a recent mission to Fes.

The evening's honorees join a distinguished list of previous Physicians for Peace award recipients. They include Professor Jeff Sachs, noted economist and ardent advocate for those living in poverty; former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, MD, an activist for using medicine as "a currency for peace" to improve the quality of life for vulnerable populations; and the ONE Campaign, a grassroots campaign and advocacy organization co-founded by Bono that is committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.

Tickets are available for purchase to attend the Physicians for Peace 2010 gala reception at the Cavalier Beach Club in Virginia Beach on Saturday, October 2, 2010.

ABOUT PHYSICIANS FOR PEACE

Physicians for Peace is an international non-profit organization that mobilizes voluntary healthcare professionals to assist developing nations with unmet medical needs and scarce resources. Through effective, hands-on medical education and training, clinical care and donated medical supplies, Physicians for Peace develops long-term, sustainable, replicable, and evidence-based programs to help partner nations build medical capability and capacity to help themselves. Since 1989 Volunteers for the 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization have conducted medical missions in more than 60 countries.

With its headquarters in Norfolk, Va., Physicians for Peace has programs in 22 countries and offices in Manila, the Philippines and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 2009, the organization celebrated its 20th Anniversary.

For more information, go to: www.physiciansforpeace.org

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