THE ISF AWARDS FOR HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT
ISF has been proud to establish a series of Gold Medal Awards for Human Achievement to celebrate the contributions of certain individuals to the humanities and natural sciences. Drawing on Idries Shah’s life-long interest in selflessness and being the very best form of oneself possible, the awards celebrate the accomplishments and thinking of four men and four women each year.
In addition, a posthumous award will be presented, as well as one to an NGO or Foundation. Taking the form of gilded ormolu medallions, the awards are minted by Spink & Son, medal-makers to the British Crown. Each honour is accompanied by a hand-drawn calligraphic certificate.

2019 ISF GOLD MEDAL AWARD LAUREATES
The ISF Award Committee has the pleasure to announce the nominations of the very first recipients, each one of whom has made a huge contribution to the humanities or the natural sciences.
In making their selection, the Award Committee focused in particular on certain individuals who either knew Idries Shah personally, or whose work has espoused the ideals so central to Shah’s thinking.
FEMALE LAUREATES

Dame Jane Goodall DBE
Primatologist & anthropologist
Lisa Alther
Novelist & best-selling author


Herta Müller
Novelist & Nobel Laureate
Robyn Davidson
Explorer & best-selling author

MALE LAUREATES

Sir David Attenborough
Legendary environmentalist
Dr. James Lovelock
Originator of ‘The Gaia Hypothesis’


Cmdr. Chris Hadfield
Astronaut & former Space Station Commander
Dr. Desmond Morris
Anthropologist & author

POSTHUMOUS

Jorge-Luis Borges
Argentine author & man of letters
NGO

International Crisis Group
Leading think-tank devoted to building a more peaceful world