Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards Honour Susan Sarandon, Common, Jim Brown, Others

Muhammad Ali is best known as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers ever know, but these days the 73 year old's efforts are supporting a different sort of fighter — humanitarians.

Celebrating "the greatness of people from around the world who are making differences in their communities and beyond," the second annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards — Sept. 27 in Louisville, KY — will salute a number of "seasoned humanitarians," including actress Susan Sarandon and musician/actor Common, and six people under the age of 30, who've exemplified what are known as Muhammad's six core principles — confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality.

Ali, who a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War and an outspoken defender of religious freedom and racial justice, said the awards were about people who made a difference.

"I am so proud of this year's Muhammad Ali Award recipients," said Ali in a press release. "This group of young people are passionate, dedicated and courageous. By example, they serve as role models to other young adults and to us. These young men and women show how one person can make a positive difference in the lives of other individuals and communities around the world. I recognize that they are champions in their own right."

The six under-30 award winners are Jessica Matthews, 26, from New York, whose organization Uncharted Play creates toys that generate electricity; Mario Andrés Hurtado Cardozo, 22, a Columbian conscientious objector; Kennedy Odede, 29, who's behind Shining Hope For Communities, an organization that works with urban poor in Kenya; Talia Leman, 19, the Iowan behind RandomKid, which helps empower other young people in their philanthropic work; 23 year-old Californian Sejal Hathi, who aids in economically empowering young women around the world; and 24 year-old Malaysian Mastura Rashid, the founder of The Nasi Lemak Project, an anti-urban poverty initiative.

The winners of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards include Jim Brown, former pro football player/actor and founder of the Amer-I-Can self-esteem program, who will get the lifetime achievement award; Academy Award-winning actress; Not Impossible founder and CEO Mike Ebeling, who will receive humanitarian of the year award; United Nations goodwill ambassador Susan Sarandon, who will pick up the award for global citizenship; and Common, the musician-poet and founder of the youth-oriented Common Ground Foundation, who will be honoured with the humanitarian award for education.

The award gala will be hosted by NBC's Matt Lauer.