Watch CBS News

Mia Farrow To Get 2011 "Marian Anderson" Award In Philly

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Officials who administer Philadelphia's humanitarian award named for native daughter Marian Anderson have revealed who this year's recipient will be.

The Marian Anderson Award is given annually to an artist who combines great creativity with great humanity, and this year the award will go to actor, activist, and humanitarian Mia Farrow.

Pamela Browner White, chair of the award (at left in photo), says the decision process is always difficult but Farrow stood out in one important way.

"She has put herself at great peril to accomplish her humanitarian efforts, and she's just thinking about making the world a better place," White told KYW Newsradio on Friday.  "And she does it in a very serious way.   It would be easy for her to just retire and say, 'I've done the best I can do,' but she is not giving up."

Farrow was not at today's announcement at the Sofitel Hotel in center city, but in a statement she said she is accepting the award in the name of the world's most vulnerable and neglected people.

Farrow has been in more than forty films and is now best known for her work in the Darfur region of the Sudan.

The Marian Anderson award recipient receives $50,000, but for the first time the Award will raise extra funds for the Darfur region.

Farrow receives the award during a gala concert at the Kimmel Center on May 10th.

Reported by Karin Phillips, KYW Newsradio 1060.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.