Harsini joins Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Jane Goodall, and Sir David Attenborough as recipients of the award. He donated the full $20,000 AUD cash prize to his animal advocacy nonprofit.

August 8, 2026 — Philip Wollen, philanthropist and former Vice President of Citibank, awarded Dr. Faraz Harsini, Founder and CEO of Allied Scholars for Animal Protection (ASAP), the Winsome Constance Kindness Gold Medal and a $20,000 AUD cash prize during a live presentation to plant-based and animal advocates in Australia on July 14, 2026.

Wollen selected Harsini after being inspired by ASAP's presence across 60 college campuses nationwide, including 40 student chapters, and by the initiative Harsini began to bring the message of animal rights to the faith-based Jain community. Wollen described Harsini as an exemplary model of practicing non-violence toward all living beings. Harsini donated the entire cash prize back to ASAP to support the organization's vegan campaigns and its student leaders' work to protect exploited animals.

Wollen awards the prize each year through the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust, the philanthropic initiative he founded with his wife, Trix, after leaving Citibank to advocate for animal liberation and humanitarian causes. The Trust awards the medal to what it calls "distinguished people of international standing."

Past recipients include Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Jane Goodall, Sir David Attenborough, and Dr. Neal Barnard, among other figures who have shaped the modern movement. The award recognizes Harsini's impact in animal rights alongside them. "I've subsequently introduced Faraz to the Jain community, and he has become, in the last year or so, one of the most profound and beloved exemplars of everything that the Jains believe in. And that is ahimsa, non-violence to any living being. And that is going to be one of his greater legacies as he opens up a beachhead in the United States," Wollen said during the live broadcast.

He added, "My wish is that a time will come in the not too distant future when you will have more members than Greenpeace. And that can be done." Harsini replied, "I can't thank you enough, but all I can do is to just give it my best and amplify what you started. Your speech is still motivating many of my students. So all I can do is to make sure more and more people are motivated and become the next generation of people like you. Thank you, I'm humbled."

About Allied Scholars for Animal Protection

Allied Scholars for Animal Protection is dedicated to defending both human and nonhuman animals. ASAP supports students from a variety of backgrounds and interests, including science, healthcare, policymaking, and business. ASAP mentors the next generation of leaders to build a united effort to end animal oppression on campuses across the country.

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