MaD Awards 2009

The “Brainswork Make a Difference Award” was initiated by the passionate networker and Brainswork-CEO Selma Prodanovic, designed and supported by the US star designer Mirko Ilic and recognizes those outstanding individuals that employ their unique talent, creativity, ideas and visions for the benefit of their communities, for the development of human values, for peace and understanding, for sustainable and respectful sharing of knowledge, resources and experiences, but most importantly, for encouraging others to make a difference.

“I am convinced that everyone can make a positive difference”, says Prodanovic, “but also, that there are certain individuals that can use their extraordinary ability not just for deeper change in their communities and in society, but also motivate and encourage people to make a difference and improve something”.

They all have overcome a variety of obstacles without losing faith in their vision. Their special, individual way has – alongside their tenacity and endurance – motivated other human beings.
 
The laureates for 2009 were:

Luigi Colani, the planetary improver and visionary genius, the man that has been wirting design history and shaping epochs in art and society throughout the world ("Grandpix of Design 2007" at the Festival Automobile International, "Outstanding lifetime contribution to design" from FX International Interior Design Awards", "Design Visionary Award 2007" from the Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena,...).

Ilse Dippmann, who 22 years ago initiated the first Austrian Women’s Run which has since become the largest women’s running event in Central Europe and was awarded with the Golden Order of Merit for services rendered to the Republic of Austria in 2007.

Suhas Gopinath from India, who became the world’s youngest CEO at age 14, now supports other young people as an internationally successful IT entrepreneur and was announced as one of the "Young Global Leaders" for 2008-2009 by the prestigious World Economic Forum.

Muhamed Mesic, the 24-year old Bosnian who uses his skills in 56 foreign languages to promote human rights and reconciliation throughout the world, is considered one of those "young people changing the world" by many  and became an Echenberg Fellow for Genocide Scholars at McGill University in Montreal in 2007.