Sam Green
New York, New York (USA)
Founder and Director of the Landmarks Foundation: Protecting Sacred Sites
 
"The Landmarks Foundation was founded in 1997 to conserve sacred sites and landscapes around the world. Whether locations in current use today or relics left by vanished ancestors, these sacred places are tangible and sometimes intangible focal points for the beliefs, rituals and religions that define human societies.
 
"These structures and integral natural settings are threatened by economic expansion, desecration, pollution and neglect as well as by natural disasters and erosion. Just like the natural world, mankind's spiritual heritage is in need of dedicated protection.
 
"Established as a tax-exempt organization, The Landmarks Foundation directs funding and technical expertise to local groups that cannot protect their sacred cultural heritage without assistance. Selection of specific projects is based on cultural significance and degree of jeopardy."