Thursday, February 28, 2008

author refuses nestle prize check

I read this in this months (March*April 2008)MOTHERING MAGAZINE:
British children's author Sean Taylor, 2007 Gold Medal winner in the under 5 category of the Nestle Children's Book Prize, refused to accept a check from Nestle as part of his recent award, which was presented in December. Taylor, who won the prize for his book When a Monster Is Born, said that he could not accept the money because of his concerns over the marketing tactics used by Nestle in their promotion of infant formula.
In an open letter explaining his decision. Taylor said that he was honored to have won the prize because it is awarded on the basis of children's votes, but that he could not accept Nestle's money because "their interpretation of the international Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes sets up the risk that profit is put before infant health." After examining Nestle's practices in marketing baby formula, Taylor said, "I do not feel that Nestle are the most appropriate sponsors for this major children's book prize."
Taylor stated in his letter that he had made his decision after consulting with representatives from Nestle, Baby Milk Action, and an unnamed third party
with "experience in the field." Baby Milk Action, a formula watchdog group, says independent monitoring has revealed that Nestle is the leading violator of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
Following Taylor's refusal of the award, Nestle ended it's 23-year sponsorship of the Children's Book Prize.
For more information visit www.babymilkaction.org/press/press12dec07.html

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