After a two-year hiatus, Pearl S. Buck International is thrilled to announce the return of the always inspiring Woman of Influence Award Dinner. Each year the Woman of Influence Award honors our founder, Pearl S. Buck, by recognizing women who continue in her humanitarian, cross-cultural, and advocacy footsteps.

Originally established in 1978 as the Woman of the Year Award, the Woman of Influence Award honors women, who like Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning author, activist, and humanitarian Pearl S. Buck, have distinguished themselves in their career, devotion to family, and pursuit of humanitarian and advocacy goals.

Pearl S. Buck was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Literature for her novel, The Good Earth, and the Nobel Prize in Literature for her body of work. Buck used the spotlight on her to shine a light on the plight of marginalized people everywhere and to advocate for the civil rights movement in the U.S. She also founded Welcome House (the world’s first international biracial adoption agency) and established The Pearl S. Buck Foundation (now Pearl S. Buck International) to provide international humanitarian aid.

Ms. Buck’s groundbreaking words and work paved the way for greater international and intercultural understanding. They also provided life-changing aid for countless impoverished children.

The Woman of Influence Award is an honor bestowed upon a woman with remarkable talent, drive, and compassion and has such notable recipients as Laura Bush, TV personality Nydia Han, and former President of the Philippines, Corazon Aquino. The Woman of Influence is chosen every year based on criteria that best exemplifies both Pearl Buck herself as well as embodies the mission of the organization that bears her name.

This year, Pearl S. Buck International is expanding its search and asking for the public’s help in identifying candidates who exemplify what it means to be “Woman of Influence 2023.”

Nominations are now being accepted at https://pearlsbuck.org/woman-of-influence/. All nominations are due by March 1^st. A spring/summer 2023 date for the Award dinner and ceremony will be announced once an honoree has been chosen.

Pearl S. Buck International, located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was founded by Pearl S. Buck in 1964, and continues her humanitarian, cross-cultural, and educational work locally and abroad.

Pearl S. Buck International^® provides opportunities to explore and appreciate other cultures, builds better lives for children around the globe and promotes the legacy of our founder by preserving and interpreting her National Historic Landmark Home.