“On behalf of the Science Philanthropy Alliance, I congratulate Dr. Edna Adan Ismail on winning the 2023 Templeton Prize. This prestigious honor is incredibly well-deserved and reflects her dedication to improving the lives of thousands of women and girls in East Africa and beyond. Edna is a nurse-midwife, healthcare advocate, and founder of the Edna Adan University and Edna Adan Hospital that have reduced maternal mortality across Somaliland.

Dr. Edna Adan Ismail is an excellent choice because she has a compelling life story of selfless service to others in the face of great challenges, successfully drawing upon her health care background as a nurse. Dr. Edna Adan Ismail’s life and work are tremendous examples of the power of science in affirming the dignity of all women and helping them to flourish physically and spiritually.”

— Dr. France Córdova, Science Philanthropy President and a 2023 Templeton Prize Judge

Established in 1972, the Templeton Prize is one of the world’s largest annual individual awards. It is given to honor individuals whose exemplary achievements advance Sir John Templeton’s philanthropic vision: harnessing the power of the sciences to explore the deepest questions of the universe and humankind’s place and purpose within it. Currently valued at £1.1 million GBP, the award is adjusted periodically so it always exceeds the value of the Nobel Prize. Winners have come from a wide range of faiths, fields, and geographies, and have included Nobel Prize winners, philosophers, theoretical physicists, and one canonized saint. The Templeton Prize is awarded by the three Templeton philanthropies: the John Templeton Foundation, based in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, and by the Templeton World Charity Foundation and Templeton Religion Trust, based in Nassau, The Bahamas. To learn more, visit www.TempletonPrize.org.