Actor-Environmentalist David Carradine, International Spokesperson for the World Water Rescue Foundation (WWRF.org), presented the "Iris Award" awards at a dinner on Thursday, June 10th in Desert Hot Springs.

Ambassador Alimov with David Carradine & the Soul Dogs

Californian Mary Gibson was being honored with the WWRF Woman of the Year award for her 30 years of outstanding dedication to protecting and preserving the waters of Desert Hot Springs. In February of 2004, Desert Hot Springs, once again, won "The World's Best Tasting Municipal Drinking Water" award at the Berkeley Springs, West Virginia 14th Annual International Water Tasting Competition. This is the second time Desert Hot Springs took 1st place, having earned the coveted gold medal in 1999.

Internationally, H.E. Ambassador Rashid Alimov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Tajikistan to the United Nations, is being honored with the WWRF Man of the Year award for his contributions to the global water agenda. Tajikistan initiated the "International Year of Freshwater-2003" which was co-sponsored by 148 United Nations member states.

Both Mary Gibson and Ambassador Alimov received statues the Iris, Goddess of the rainbow, that were donated by artist, Bruce M. Coyle, of Chester County, Pennsylvania.

David Carradine & the Soul Dogs perform in Desert Hot Springs

The success of the 2003 Year of Freshwater led the United Nations to adopt a resolution proclaiming 2005-2015 as the "International Decade for Action - Water for Life". This resolution was also initiated by the Republic of Tajikistan. The international response has been a pooling of the efforts of many nations to assess the current world water challenges and demonstrate the urgent need of bringing about a much needed blue revolution to improve management of this vital resource.

The Iris Awards (in foreground) and Coyle prints "Sea Turtle" and "Manatees"
(mentioned on flyers on right) are featured at the event.

David Carradine and the unique group Soul Dogs will be providing the musical entertainment. The two statues of Iris provided by Bruce marked a focal point of the award ceremony WWRF set its sites on protecting the world's water.