The Council Honors Samuel C. Scott III, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy for Global Leadership
FEBRUARY 10, 2016
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs proudly honors Chicago business leader Samuel C. Scott III and Oscar-winning Pakistani journalist and filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy with its 2016 Global Leadership Award. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in international relations and global thought leadership. The 2016 honorees were chosen by the Council to pay tribute to their dedication to reason and tolerance as they elevate their communities in today’s divisive political environment and unstable global landscape.
“We believe it’s important to recognize the positive forces in our midst,” said Ambassador Ivo H. Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. “Sam and Sharmeen are shining examples of how great leaders can inspire in others the conviction and will to succeed in the face of difficult circumstances. Extending this award is our effort to celebrate the change they have inspired in their communities and abroad.”
Samuel C. Scott III earned his 2016 Global Leadership Award for his career advancing Chicago’s internal affairs and global interests. He has worked tirelessly to elevate the city’s underserved youth at INROADS Chicago, which places talented young people of color in business and industry, and to empower the Chicago Urban League, which is dedicated to the economic, educational and social progress of the city’s African-American community. Scott has also amplified Chicago’s presence as a global city, creating valuable networks and opportunities for Chicago’s people and businesses through his stewardship of Chicago Sister Cities International, as a board member of World Business Chicago and as a Council board member for 13 years.
The Council award distinguishes Obaid-Chinoy’s prize-winning work as a Pakistani journalist and filmmaker. Obaid-Chinoy’s documentary about honor killings, “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness,” has earned a 2016 Oscar nomination for best documentary – short subject category. Her work empowers ordinary people to stand up and seek justice from outsized majorities. Her 2012 documentary “Saving Face” won two Emmy awards and an Oscar for exposing acid attacks on women in Pakistan and documenting the women’s struggle for redress. Obaid-Chinoy’s investigative journalism has brought a sharp focus on the brutalities and injustices faced by segments of Pakistani society and rallied others to their causes.
The Council will honor Scott and Obaid-Chinoy at its annual Global Leadership Awards Dinner, a prestigious event convening distinguished guests from all walks of life. The April 20 event will be hosted by John Manley, a vice chairman of the Council’s board and president of City Capital Group, and his wife Mary Manley. In 2015, the Council on Global Affairs honored Lester Crown for his extraordinary contributions to Chicago, the United States and the world, and for more than 10 years of service as visionary chairman of the Council.
The Council’s Global Leadership Awards are chaired by Greg Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of Motorola Solutions; Anne Pramaggiore, president and chief executive officer of ComEd; and Rick Waddell, chairman and chief executive officer of Northern Trust.