Charles Taylor, is the first recipient of the Berggruen Prize. The 84 year-old McGill University professor emeritus will receive $1 million (US) from the California-based institute, which has a mission “to develop foundational ideas” to help shape the political and social institutions of the 21st century.
Founded by philanthropist and investor Nicolas Berggruen in 2010, the award will be handed out annually to a thinker “whose ideas are of broad significance for shaping human self-understanding and the advancement of humanity.”
An independent jury chose Taylor as a result of his contributions to public affairs and humanities and various social sciences.
Charles Taylor has been a prominent supporter of Canadian unity and the province of Quebec’s distinct identity. The Bouchard-Taylor Commission was widely followed in Quebec, when he and sociologist Gerard Bouchard co-chaired the investigation into the province’s “reasonable accommodation” of religious minorities and new immigrants.
“Charles Taylor is a brilliantly appropriate recipient, because he has changed the way people all over the world think about some of the most basic questions in human life,” Nicolas Berggruen said.
The award will be given to Charles Taylor during a ceremony to be held in New York City on December 1st, 2016.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.