Sir Ken Robinson receives LEGO Prize 2011

Through the years Sir Ken Robinson has advocated that schools and teachers throughout the world should inspire creativity in children.

For many years Sir Ken Robinson has had a mission: to change the way the world’s children are taught. Partly by urging schools and teachers to recognise to an increasing degree a multitude of intelligences and skills among children and to ensure that the focus in education is on creativity, not rote learning.

His visions have sparked a revolution in education, and today (Thursday) he received the LEGO Prize in recognition of his work.

“Sir Ken Robinson is an inspiration for people all over the world. He is able to communicate his visions clearly and engage our human feelings. He knows to tackle the seriousness of his message in a humorous way, and his message needs to be heard! It was expressed in the title of his TED talk – “Do schools kill creativity?”. His approach to the formation of future generations matches the values and mission of The LEGO Group - namely to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play,” says LEGO owner, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. And he continues:

“The future belongs to our children we say - and Sir Ken is creating a better future through his passion for children and through his inspiring work. His tireless efforts to improve children’s education and thus help a better future emerge - makes it a great honor for me to award him The LEGO Prize.”

About Sir Ken Robinson
Sir Ken Robinson was born in Liverpool, England, in 1950, studied English and drama at Britton Hall at the University of Leeds and completed a Ph.D. at the University of London in 1981.

Sir Ken is an author, speaker and international adviser on education in the arts to governments, organisations and the educational sector. For example, in 1998 he headed a UK commission on creativity, education and the economy, publishing an influential report “All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture, and Education”.

The Times wrote of it:“This report raises some of the most important issues facing business in the 21st century. It should have every CEO and human resources director thumping the table and demanding action.”

He was knighted in 2003 for his services to education.

In 2006 Sir Ken gave a celebrated talk at that year’s TED conference on how schools kill creativity in children.

Read more at www.sirkenrobinson.com.

About the LEGO Prize
The LEGO Prize was founded in 1985 and has been awarded to individuals and institutions who have made an extraordinary contribution on behalf of children and young people. Recipients have included Astrid Lindgren, Paul Newman, John Feierabend, Mario Lodi, Dean Kamen and such institutions as Associacão Santa Therinha in Brazil, the SaekDong Organisation in Korea, and Papalote Museo del Niño in Mexico City. The LEGO Prize was most recently awarded in 2010 – to Nicholas Negroponte, for the One Laptop Per Child project.

Sir Ken Robinson receives the sum of USD 100,000 which he can donate to any organization or charity - as well as a glass sculpture designed by Tobias Møhl.