The Head of State was presented with the prestigious award during the launch of Kenya’s 5th National Action Plan in Nairobi
President William Ruto received the Golden Plate Award from the Academy of Achievement on Thursday, September 12, continuing his streak of garnering international recognition.
The Head of State was presented with the prestigious award during the launch of Kenya’s 5th National Action Plan in Nairobi under the Open Government Partnership (OGP), with Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei handing Ruto the award on behalf of the Academy of Achievement.
According to State House, this honour recognises Ruto’s exceptional leadership in promoting transparency, accountability, and public participation, qualities that have positioned Kenya as a leader in governance innovation across Africa.
President William Ruto (third left) and PS Korir Sing’oei (far right) during the launch of the Fifth National Action Plan on Open Government Partnership in Nairobi on September 12, 2024. /PCS
State House, in a statement, hailed the award as a testament to Ruto’s vision and impact on governance. Kenya’s leadership in the OGP framework has set the tone for other African nations, with the country often cited as an example of best practices in open government.
The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest-achieving individuals in diverse fields and allows them to meet one another.
It was founded by Brian Blaine Reynolds, an acclaimed photographer best known for his contributions to Life magazine and Sports Illustrated. Reynolds established the Academy of Achievement to bring aspiring young people together with real-life heroes, the kind of achievers he met every week on assignment.
“He discovered that visionaries and pioneers, who often strike us as larger-than-life, are real people who endured setbacks and persevered through everyday challenges, like anyone else.
“The difference is in how they kept their eyes open to new opportunities, and in how they went about achieving their dreams. The Academy’s first annual Banquet of the Golden Plate program was held at Monterey, California in September of 1961,” the Academy states on its website.
The Golden Plate Award has been presented since 1961 by the American Academy of Achievement to approximately 25 guests of honour at the International Achievement Summit.
Chosen by the Academy’s Awards Council and other distinguished authorities, these men and women of exceptional accomplishment in the sciences, the professions, business, industry, arts, literature, sports, entertainment, and public service are acclaimed, not as winners, but as visionaries and achievers who represent the many who excel.
Notably, this marked the second time Ruto received the award, the first coming amidst his induction into the American Academy of Achievement at a Golden Plate Award Ceremony held in Washington DC in December 2022.
This saw him join an illustrious group of achievers such as former US President Barack Obama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the late Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, and Sydney Portier.
President William Ruto posing with the Golden Plate Award on December 16, 2022. /TWITTER.HUSSEIN MOHAMED