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`Life warriors' win three `Global Love' awards from group

Three "life warriors" from Holland, China and Japan have won the 2005 "Global Love for Life" award for their perseverance in overcoming life's challenges, the Taipei-based Chou Ta-kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation announced yesterday.

The winners -- Chris Peters of Holland, Ling Feng (凌鋒) of China and You Iwamoto of Japan -- will be publicly cited in a ceremony to be held in Taipei on Wednesday to coincide with the celebration of Global Love Day, the foundation said.

"Peters, a veterinarian who himself is a polio victim, will be honored for his long dedication to animal protection and conservation," said Chou Chin-hua (周進華), founder of the foundation.

According to Chou, Peters' greatest contribution is his introduction of wildlife conservation concepts into Africa. Over the past 30 years, he said, Peters has dedicated himself to raising African people's awareness of the importance of wildlife protection and preservation.

Ling, a Chinese neurosurgeon who came to fame in Taiwan and around the world after successfully treating a seriously brain-injured Taiwan-born TV anchor, has been chosen for the award for her professionalism, Chou said.

Tanya Liu, who barely survived a London train crash in 2002, has miraculously recovered after receiving treatment by a medical team headed by Ling in Beijing.

According to Chou, Ling has completed 15,635 difficult neurosurgeries in her 35-year career.

Iwamoto, director of Sony Corp's employees training center who used to be a juvenile delinquent but has devoted himself to volunteer services in many countries since he turned 20, will be cited for his devotion to helping disadvantaged people around the world, Chou said.

Iwamoto traveled to Nantou County five years ago to help with post-921 earthquake relief work. He has also been to India, Afghanistan and Kenya to help care for patients and impoverished children there.

The three winners, accompanied by Chou, attended an Asia-Pacific life education seminar in Chiayi County yesterday to share their experiences in professional work and in overcoming physical trauma with educators and social workers from home and abroad.

The two-day seminar is being sponsored by the foundation, with assistance from the Ministry of Education, in an effort to help curb the local rising suicide rate.
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