FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2018

WASHINGTON, DC – Mrs. Cindy McCain, wife of the late Senator John S. McCain, today announced the winner of the inaugural John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service.

The first recipient of the annual Prize will be the People of the island of Lesbos, Greece for their heroic support of refugees fleeing mayhem throughout the Middle East and Africa.

The prize will be presented at the 10th annual Halifax International Security Forum – to which Senator McCain was a long-standing friend – on Saturday, November 17th, 2018, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“First and foremost, John McCain was a champion of human dignity. Supporting the plight of helpless men, women, and children is a cause my husband fought for every day of his life,” Mrs. McCain said.

“In bestowing this prize upon the People of Lesbos, we recognize the sacrifices that so many ordinary people have made to bring safety, comfort, and hope to refugees enduring desperate hardship. It is my sincerest wish that this award will also serve to inspire others, wherever they may be in the world, to stand up for what is right,” she said.

Senator McCain, who led the yearly Congressional Delegation to Halifax International Security Forum, was an outspoken supporter of its mission to strengthen strategic cooperation among the world’s democracies.

“I am humbled and deeply honored that Halifax International Security Forum provides the setting for the John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service. Senator McCain is one of the most inspiring people I have ever had the privilege to know and this award is testament to the power of his living memory,” said Peter Van Praagh, President of Halifax International Security Forum.

-30-

For further details about the McCain Prize and Halifax International Security Forum, please contact info@halifaxtheforum.org.