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October 19, 2009 - $29.8 million Hall of Laureates dedicated in honor of Norman Borlaug
October 19, 2009 -- Over 400 friends and admirers of the late Dr. Norman Borlaug gathered at the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates on Wednesday, October 14, to celebrate the life and work of the Iowa native and 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, who died on September 12.
The event marked the official transfer of the century-old former Des Moines Public Library to the World Food Prize Foundation, which has signed a 50-year lease on the building with an option to renew for an additional 50 years. Work is currently underway to transform the building into the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates, an enduring testament to Dr. Borlaug’s humanitarian legacy.
“The Hall of Laureates will ensure that the legacy and spirit of Dr. Norman Borlaug will continue to inspire Borlaug-like achievements in the fight against hunger well into the 22nd Century,” said Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation.
In addition to Quinn, the event also included remembrances of Dr. Borlaug by: Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge; Bill Borlaug and Jeanie Borlaug Laube, Dr. Borlaug’s children; A.S. Clausi, co-founder and former chairman of the World Food Prize; and Miss Iowa 2009 Anne Michael Langguth, who served as a Borlaug-Ruan International Intern . As part of the ceremony, the World Food Prize Foundation unveiled an original portrait of Dr. Borlaug by artist Chas Fagan commissioned for permanent display in the Hall of Laureates.
Once completed, the $29.8 million restored Hall of Laureates will be open to the public, serving as: a museum to recognize great achievements in agriculture; a convocation center at which to hold the Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium, known as the “Borlaug Dialogue;" a home for the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute; an educational facility featuring interactive displays on hunger and food security; and a conference center and community hall available to other groups and organizations for their meetings and events.
Des Moines University also participated in the event, displaying the “Art 4 Health” exhibit which was compiled by the World Health Organization to portray women's health issues in a global context.
MORE ON THE HALL OF LAUREATES:
World Food Prize Foundation signs 100-year lease on former library building (November 16, 2009)
$29.8 million Hall of Laureates dedicated in honor of Norman Borlaug (October 19, 2009)
World Food Prize to take possession of former Des Moines Public Library building (September 1, 2009)
Vision Iowa Board grants $2 million to Hall of Laureates (June 16, 2009)
Hall of Laureates receives $100,000 Legacy Grant from Prairie Meadows (March 16, 2009)
World Food Prize receives $500,000 pledge from Dahl Trust for Hall of Laureates (February 9, 2009)
Hall of Laureates receives Greater Des Moines Community Foundation's largest grant ever (June 9, 2008)
World Food Prize receives $5 million pledge from Monsanto to honor Norman Borlaug (February 15, 2008)
DuPont pledges $1 million to World Food Prize (February 7, 2008)