The 13 recipients, selected from among 1,868 candidates recommended internationally, included the "Anti-cancer Philanthropist" from the Czech Republic Pavla Ticha; "The Hero of the Well" Ryan Hreliac from Canada; and "Cancer-fighting Cardinal" Paul Shan, according to a foundation spokesman.
At the award ceremony at the Taiwan Democracy Hall in Taipei, Liu praised Hreliac for digging 286 wells in 14 countries in Africa, Asia and South America in an effort to supply the local people with clean water.
The premier also commended Shan for going on a tour of Taiwan to spread the Christian gospel after he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2006.
Ticha, who was told that she had two years to live after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, won the award for setting up the "Amelia Center" to help patients with cancer and other fatal diseases.
Of the 26 recipients of this year's awards, eight are foreign nationals.
The Chou Ta-kuan Cultural and Education Foundation was established in 1997 by the parents of Chou Ta-kuan after he died of cancer. He was a young poet who had great enthusiasm for life.
With the aim of commemorating Ta-kuan's love for life, the foundation has sponsored various activities that include annual awards to individuals from around the world who, in its view, embody the "love for life" theme.
The international recipients who were unable to attend this year's presentation ceremony included a model father from China, Cai Xiaowan; "Savior of Health" Dr. Rosukon Poompanvong from Thailand; "Angel with Books" Vicky Pollack from Washington, D.C.; "Cancer-fighting Angel" from Silicon Vally Joyce Hsu; and "Hero without Legs" Mark Inglis from New Zealand who in 2007 became the first below-knee amputee to climb Mount Everest.
Since Monday, the 13 award recipients in Taiwan have been engaged a series of activities to spread the "love for life" message. Their schedule included joining Premier Liu Chao-shiuan at a tree-planting ceremony and visiting a school in Taichung for the visually impaired.
