Victor Pinchuk is the first Ukrainian to have won the Trebbia European Award for support of the arts and culture. He received the award at the annual Trebbia ceremony held on March 11 in Prague (Czech Republic). It was presented to him by Bob Geldof, Irish musician, public leader, organizer of Live Aid charity concerts and Live 8 Festival, and laureate of the 2010 Trebbia European Awards.
Presenting the award, Bob Geldof said: "Money alone does not mean anything. It is a commodity like any other, and becomes meaningful only when contributed to a good cause. Victor Pinchuk has a vision. He changes the world by supporting contemporary art and giving young people access to today’s greatest artists at the art centre he established. He uses his vision and his intellect to change the world."
Victor Pinchuk stated: "Contemporary art is one of the most revolutionary forces. And it really works! It can effectively modernize societies. Contemporary art makes us think creatively and be ready for the new. Which is the key to success in today's world."
He also emphasized the importance of philanthropy for supporting culture: "The most interesting ideas in culture can and should be implemented only by philanthropists, by private social investors. No state in the world is able to adequately support all cultural and social projects solely from the government budget. Therefore, the role of corporations, private investors and philanthropists is enormous. And it’s great that there are awards that back philanthropists and patrons."
Other laureates from Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Japan were also awarded at this year’s Gala Beneficia Evening, held under the auspices of Miroslava Němcová, Chairwoman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and Alena Hanáková, Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic.
The Trebbia European Award was founded in 2000 by the international MIRO Gallery and is annually presented by the TREBBIA Foundation to recognize artists, musicians, entrepreneurs and philanthropists for significant contributions to the development and support of arts and culture on the national and international level.
From 2000 to 2012, more than 60 laureates received the award, including Bob Geldof, musician, actor and public figure (Ireland); Ronnie Wood, artist, member of the Rolling Stones (UK); Oleg Tabakov, actor (Russia); Elena Obraztsova, opera singer (Russia); Jiří Bělohlávek, conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (UK); Daniel Libeskind, architect (USA); Markus Lüpertz, painter, rector of the State Artistic Academy in Dusseldorf (Germany) and others.
Official website: www.trebbia.eu
