Courtesy: Muhammad Ali Center

Special report from Sherlene Shanklin, WHAS11 Television, ABC Louisville

We are just a few days away from the Third Annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards.  It was created to celebrate the greatness of people from around the world who are making difference in their communities and beyond. The third event will be held at the Louisville Marriott Downtown this Saturday evening, September 19^th at 6:30 p.m.

The fundraising gala honors individuals’ significant contributions around the world toward the attainment of peace, social justice, or other positive actions pertaining to human or social capital. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to the multi-talented artist and social justice activist Harry Belafonte. Academy Award winning actress, humanitarian and women’s advocate Geena Davis will be honored as the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year.  Dr. Andrew Moore from Lexington, Kentucky, who founded Surgery on Sunday, will be named the 2015 Kentucky Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year and Rose Mapendo will be honored with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Gender Equality.

There’s also be six people under the age of 30 who will be honored with an award for each of Muhammad’s Six Core Principles: Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect and Spirituality.

Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Janet Evans will be the emcee and host for the evening.  In 1996, Evans was the Olympic Torchbearer in Atlanta that passed the torch to Ali at the Opening Ceremonies.

Some of this year’s presenters will be:

Lonnie Ali, along with her husband, is a Vice Chair of the Muhammad Ali Center

Donald Lassere, President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center

Greg Fischer, Mayor of Metro Louisville, initiator of the city’s annual “Give A Day” Week, and Compassionate City advocate

Max Joseph, filmmaker, co-host of MTV’s popular Catfish series, and Director of We Are Your Friends

Jennifer Clinton, PhD, President and Global Ties U.S., which helped facilitate the awards process for the Six Principle winners

Dhani Jones, entrepreneur, TV host, author, philanthropist, and former NFL linebacker

Aaron Stevens (aka Damien Sandow), professional wrestler with the WWE, who resides in Louisville, KY

For additional information go to www.alicenter.org.  If you have a story idea, send it to me at The411@whas11.com.  You can also follow me on Twitter @Sherlenemediapr and Instagram Sherlenemediapro.

Email: TheVIPPReport@vippcommunications.com/Twitter @VIPPComm.