DUSHANBE, June 4, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- UNESCO''s Sector for Social and Human Sciences calls for nominations for the Avicenna Prize 2009. The deadline for submission of proposals is 15 July 2009 at the latest, UNESCO’s news service reported.

The prize, which is US$10,000, includes a gold medal of Avicenna along with a certificate and a week-long scientific visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, seeks to promote ethical reflection on issues raised by the rapid advancements in science and technology. Awarded every two years, it was established in 2003 by the Executive Board of UNESCO at its 166th session on the initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Both the governments of UNESCO Member States and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) accredited to UNESCO can nominate an individual or group of individuals for the prize.

Candidates shall have contributed to high-quality research in the field of ethics of science and technology. Prizes may be conferred upon individuals, institutions, other entities or non-governmental organizations.

The Prize owes its name to the renowned 11th-century physician and philosopher of medieval Islam Abu Ali al-Husain Ibn Abdallah Ibn Sina (980-1038), known in Europe as Avicenna. A healer and a humanist, Avicenna developed an exemplary holistic approach that captures the essence of ethics in science. He has thus come to serve as a source of inspiration for the promotion of this concern, which is of central importance to UNESCO.

The jury of the Prize will meet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 15, 2009, on the occasion of the Ordinary Session of COMEST. The opportunity of this preparatory meeting will be used to review the procedure, prepare the final deliberation of the jury after the closure of the nomination period, and examine the first batch of nominations received by June 12.