Honors and Awards — Catherine Bertini

World Food Prize | 2003

Being named the World Food Prize Laureate is the most prominent of Catherine Bertini’s awards.

The citation states “In recognition of your monumental achievement in ensuring an adequate supply of food for all humanity.” She was chosen “for transforming the United Nations World Food Programme into the largest and most responsive humanitarian relief organization in the world, capable of ensuring that food of good quality would be available in sufficient quantities to the world’s neediest, even in the direst of circumstances.”

Other Award Highlights

Bertini also received several awards following her work in the US government: The American Public Welfare Association’s Leadership in Public Service award, the American Academy of Pediatrics Excellence in Public Service Award, and the National Association of WIC Directors Leadership in Public Service Award.

She has received 12 honorary doctorates from universities in four countries, and has been recognized by the Republic of Italy with its highest honor “Grande Ufficiale.” The Republic of Ireland presented her a “Certificate of Irish Heritage” in recognition of her work and her maternal Irish lineage.

The City of Cortland displayed her photo on their Main Street banners celebrating local people of achievement, and two local “halls of fame” have included her work in their displays.

Receiving the American Public Welfare Association Leadership in Human Services Award with HHS Undersecretary Constance Horner (1990)

McGill University Honorary Degree (1997)

Catherine Bertini with her dad when she received an honorary degree from SUNY Cortland (1999)

Catherine Bertini & Judge Phillip Rumsey inducted in CHS Inaugural Wall of Fame (2000)

John Cabot University Honorary Degree in Rome, Italy (2001)

University of South Carolina Honorary Degree with Chancellor John Stockwell and Professor Diane Vecchio (2003)

Honorary degree at Colgate University with Ann Bertini and George Fisk (2004)

World Food Prize Panel with 2008 Laureates Senators George McGovern and Bob Dole

World Food Prize event With Dr Norman Borlaug (2007)

Receiving the Brigid Award from Tom Arnold, CEO of CONCERN (2010)

Catherine Bertini holds the Brigid Award with her dear friends Ambassador Robert and Mrs. Lillan Stuart (2010)

Cortland Wall of Fame (2016)

Catherine Bertini alumni poster at University of Albany - Delivered Food to 727 Million People Banner

2018 World Food Prize Laureates, Dr. David Nabarro, Dr. Lawrence Haddad at their Laureate Panel Moderated by Catherine Bertini

Pine Manor College Honorary Degree with Mary Ann Tinklepaugh Fish at her 50th Reunion (2000)