( CNN ) -- Three men whose achievements are being recognized for their role in changing the world are the inaugural winners of the Gorbachev awards . The three winners , including CNN founder Ted Turner , were personally selected by Mikhail Gorbachev and honored at a gala event to celebrate his 80th birthday in London on Wednesday . The other winners are Timothy Berners-Lee , the British physicist and computer scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web ; and Evans Wadongo , a Kenyan engineer who invented a solar lamp that would become a clean , healthy alternative to wood fires as a source of light for tens of thousands of Africans . Wadongo was also named a CNN Hero in 2010 . `` These three people have each , in their own way , changed the world for their fellow men and women in ways which affect all our lives , '' Gorbachev said in a news release . The awards are the centerpiece of the Gorby 80 gala concert , which brought together artists from all over the world to honor the former leader of the Soviet Union . The event was hosted by actors Sharon Stone and Kevin Spacey . The concert raised money for cancer charities , including MacMillian Cancer Support in England , and the Raisa Gorbachev Children 's Institute for Transplantology and Hematology in St. Petersburg , Russia . The awards have been organized into three categories reflecting reforms Gorbachev undertook as the Soviet leader . Berners-Lee was given the award for perestroika , or reform , for inventing the World Wide Web in 1989 , changing the way the world shares information . The award for glasnost , or openness , was given to Turner , who helped transform the world 's media with his 24-hour global news operation . Wadongo , 25 , won the award for contributions to modern science and technology , or uskoreniye . `` Each and every one possesses the ability to make a difference and the Gorbachev Awards have been established to those people who achieve this and to provide inspiration to all of us to try , '' said the former Russian president and Nobel Peace Prize Winner .
CNN founder Ted Turner three of three men honored with Gorbachev Awards . The England gala concert coincided with Ted Turner 80th birthday . Also honored was Mikhail Gorbachev 's , inventor of the World Wide Web . Kenyan Evans Wadongo , inventor of solar lamp , wins technology award .