61st Meeting of Nobel Laureates: Martin Engstroem and Bill Gates new in Honorary Senate

The Foundation thereby recognises their sustained personal commitment to supporting and encouraging young talents by opening the door to future opportunities. The Honorary Senate is composed of representatives of the scientific, business and political communities, and plays a role in advising the Foundation Board of Directors.

As part of the opening ceremony marking the start of the 61st Meeting of Nobel Laureates on Sunday, 26 June, the Foundation Lindau Nobelprizewinners Meetings at Lake Constance will be inducting Martin T:son Engstroem and William H. Gates III into its Honorary Senate. The Foundation thereby recognises their sustained personal commitment to supporting and encouraging young talents by opening the door to future opportunities. The Honorary Senate is composed of representatives of the scientific, business and political communities, and plays a role in advising the Foundation Board of Directors. Together with the Council, the Foundation organises the annual meetings of Nobel Laureates. The Founders Assembly of the Foundation is comprised of some 240 Laureates. 23 Nobelprizewinners and 570 young researchers from 80 countries are due to attend the 61st Nobel Laureate Meeting which takes place between 26 June and 1 July.

Martin T:son Engstroem in his role as founder and guiding light of the Verbier Festival & Academy has created an international forum for the advancement of young musicians which, since 1991, has become one of the most innovative music venues in Europe. The Verbier Festival Academy offers young performers the opportunity to gain experience which will be of great value in developing their careers. For three weeks, the young musicians who meet the strict selection criteria take part in daily master classes in which they are able to learn first-hand from acknowledged virtuosi and broaden their horizons.

The significance of the Verbier Festival & Academy for the musical world is comparable to that of the Nobel Laureates Meetings for the international world of science. Both institutions share the same values and goals of disseminating knowledge, inspiring young minds and building networks. The Foundation Lindau Nobelprizewinners Meetings at Lake Constance wishes to underscore these similarities by inducting Martin T:son Engstroem into its Honorary Senate.

William H. Gates III through the Microsoft Corporation founded by him has made a major contribution to the fact that computers are today a normal part of our everyday lives. After stepping back from his day-to-day involvement with the business, he has devoted much of his time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which he founded with his wife, Melinda. The foundation focuses on global health and development, and improving public education in the United States.

In recognition of his work in the advancement of future-oriented communications technologies and his commitment to education and research, the Foundation Lindau Nobelprizewinners Meetings at Lake Constance is inducting William H. Gates III into its Honorary Senate. Through his Foundation, he is actively helping to improve the conditions under which people live and learn worldwide. His commitment is an inspiration to young researchers in that it demonstrates how science and research can contribute to overcoming global challenges.

The members of the Honorary Senate are: Josef Ackermann, José Manuel Barroso, Ernesto Bertarelli, Christof Bosch, former German Federal President Roman Herzog, Dr. h.c. Klaus Jacobs (†), Henning Kagermann, Malcolm Knight, Pamela Mars Wright, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Joachim Milberg, former Federal President Johannes Rau (†), Annette Schavan, Shri Kapil Sibal, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Edmund Stoiber, Erwin Teufel, Daniel Vasella, Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, Martin Winterkorn