Azzam Alwash

Born in Iraq, Azzam Alwash spent his childhood days exploring the Mesopotamian marshlands in the southern part of his homeland — known to many as the birthplace of civilization. When Saddam Hussein rose to power, Alwash moved to the United States, but when the regime fell, he returned home because the marshlands he loved had been destroyed by Hussein’s regime. In 2004, Alwash founded the nonprofit Nature Iraq and put his experience in hydraulic engineering to use, surveying the region and developing a master plan to restore the marshes. He was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2013for his politically challenging restoration work.