Holland America Line Establishes the Shared Humanity Award and Bestows First Honor on Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Grand World Voyage in Cape Town

SEATTLE, April 5, 2018 /CNW/ -- To further strengthen its commitment to the transformative power of travel and the belief that connecting people from different cultures opens minds, builds connections and inspires shared humanity, Holland America Line is establishing the Shared Humanity Award to be given annually starting this year. The award will be presented to a leader and change-maker who has dedicated their life to inspiring others to see that the things that unite us are greater than those that divide us.  

Holland America Line president Orlando Ashford bestowed the first Shared Humanity Award on Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the former Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, in recognition of his lifetime spent championing equality, inclusion and peace. The Archbishop attended the program on April 4, 2018, aboard Amsterdam in Cape Town during a stop on its Grand World Voyage. Guests also heard highlights of the Archbishop's remarkable life from Robert V. Taylor, president of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation in New York, who was in Cape Town for the event. Also in attendance was Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation.

Ashford presented a $40,000 donation on behalf of Holland America Line to the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation in commemoration of the award. Holland America Line's Shared Humanity Award – together with a menu from dinner on board Amsterdam following the award program - will be showcased in the Archbishop's museum once completed in Cape Town.

"Holland America Line is guided by the belief that travel changes the way we look at the world and helps create a path toward acceptance. By establishing the Shared Humanity Award, we can pay tribute to those who have inspired us and millions of others," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. "We are incredibly honored to give the first Shared Humanity Award to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the world's foremost human rights activists and spiritual leaders, who has dedicated his life to spreading peace, freedom, justice and democracy around the globe."  

Tutu, the first black African to serve as Archbishop of Cape Town, and his work forging racial equality — beginning with his opposition to apartheid in South Africa — is renowned throughout the world. His leadership of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has offered a blueprint to nations across the globe seeking to recover from war, conflict and brutality. The Archbishop is known for his unshakable optimism in the face of overwhelming odds and his limitless faith in the ability of people to do good works. Over the last decade and a half he has been an outspoken voice for women's leadership, girls' education and LGBT rights, addressing climate change and seeking to end the practice of child brides.

Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism in 1986, the Pacem in Terris Award in 1987, the Sydney Peace Prize in 1999, the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2007 and the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

"There are many ways to celebrate Archbishop Emeritus Tutu — peacemaker, reconciler, champion of human rights of every kind, recipient of countless awards and hundreds of honorary doctorates, but this humble man who treads the face of the earth lightly loves the simplicity of being called 'Father'," said Robert V. Taylor, president of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation.  "In the spirit of Holland America Line's Shared Humanity Award we are invited to be inspired by what the Archbishop often says: Do your bit of good wherever you are because every bit of good adds up to change the world."

About the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation
The Archbishop and his wife, Leah, founded the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town and the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation in New York, a nonprofit organization engaging and equipping young people to be peacemakers and change agents. For more information visit tutufoundationusa.org. 

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel professional, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

Editor's note: Photos are available at https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/0lqlsygg.

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About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:  CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line's fleet of 14 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From shorter getaways to 113-day itineraries, the company's cruises visit all seven continents, with highlights including Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigations, Cuba cruises and exotic Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada and New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line welcomed Koningsdam in 2016 and has a second Pinnacle-class ship, Nieuw Statendam, to be delivered in December 2018. A third Pinnacle-class ship, due for delivery in 2021, recently was announced.

The company is undergoing $300 million in brand enhancements to secure its position as the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests can expand their knowledge through an exclusive partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine; during an America's Test Kitchen show; at Explorations Café presented by The New York Times; and by taking a Digital Workshop powered by Windows. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King's Blues Club. The dining experience can be savored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council, comprising world-famous chefs who design dishes exclusively for our guests.

SOURCE Holland America Line

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