Humanitarian Named Supreme World Class New Zealander

Humanitarian Named Supreme World Class New Zealander

Media Release
Embargoed until 10.15pm Wednesday, April 6 2011

Ophthalmologist Dr Howard Harper, who has dedicated his life to restoring sight to tens of thousands of people in some of the most hostile countries in the world, has been named the Supreme Winner of the 2011 World Class New Zealand Awards.

The annual awards, presented by Kea New Zealand and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, recognise extraordinary New Zealanders who have excelled at the highest levels in their chosen field.

Dr Harper is one of New Zealand’s greatest humanitarians, but one of our least known.

He has spent 50 years restoring sight to countless thousands in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and the former states of the USSR.

He has funded and built eye hospitals; seen one of them destroyed and rebuilt it, built schools and trained dozens of eye doctors.

His legacy includes the Noor Hospital in Afghanistan, a soon to be completed day eye clinic alongside it, 10 self-sustaining eye clinics throughout central Asia, some of them now operating for 30 or more years, and two schools.

Dr Harper is held in such high regard in Afghanistan that he was granted Afghan citizenship - one of only a few foreigners ever accorded this honour.

Kea co-founder and chair of judges Sir Stephen Tindall said Dr Harper was one of New Zealand’s greatest sons. “Howard has dedicated his life to improving the lives of countless others, often risking his own safety in some of the world’s most treacherous lands.”

For only the second time, a ‘Friend of New Zealand’ award was presented to a non-New Zealander who is working to build global connections and support New Zealand businesses internationally.

The Rt Hon Lord Denman has quietly contributed to New Zealand in the most effective and meaningful ways for more than 40 years.
He has worked behind the scenes opening doors for some of our biggest and most successful companies, sharing his networks and expertise in the Middle East and the United Kingdom.
Seven category winners were also honoured across a range of pursuits. They are:

Creative: Michael Stedman, a television pioneer who has built Natural History New Zealand into a world-leading documentary maker
Information & Communications: Michael Boustridge, head of BT Global Services, a $US9 billion business in 176 countries
Investment & Business: Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas, lawyer and powerbroker in the upper echelons of the British establishment
Life Sciences: Professor Bob Elliott, a world leader in the treatment of type-1 diabetes
Manufacturing, Design & Innovation: Sir George Fistonich, the founder of Villa Maria Estate winery and leading force in the country’s wine industry
New Thinking: Sam Morgan, founder of Trade Me, co-founder of Pacific Fibre, active software investor and philanthropist
Science, Technology & Academia: Dame Professor Anne Salmond, historian and writer who has helped define and shape our historical understanding of New Zealand.

The awards were presented at a gala dinner at the Langham Hotel in Auckland on Wednesday April 6, where winners received a tall poppy statuette designed by the 2009 Supreme winner Sir Richard Taylor of Weta Workshop.
The World Class New Zealand Awards have been running for eight years and are judged by Sir Stephen Tindall (Chair, Kea New Zealand), Jon Mayson (Chair, NZTE), Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, Jane Hunter, Bridget Liddell and John Stace.

Nominees are evaluated against five main criteria, with the focus on promoting New Zealand internationally, building global connections and facilitating the exchange of information, knowledge and skills from, and about, the country.

Ends

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