The Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize has been awarded to four individuals and one movement from Bhutan, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. The laureates are Karma Phuntsho for his contribution to Bhutan’s cultural heritage, Miyazaki Hayao for the impact of animation on humanity, and the Rural Doctors Movement of Thailand for its commitment to public health. The ceremony will be held on November 16 in Manila.
Manila () – This year’s laureates of the 66th Ramon Magsaysay Award – established in 1958 and recognised as Asia’s highest honour celebrating the greatness of spirit and transformative leadership embodied by its namesake – hail from Bhutan, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Today, the Foundation (RMAF) announced the laureates for the 2024 edition. “We are proud to announce this year’s laureates of Asia’s highest award and honour, the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awards,” said RMAF. The RMAF Board of Directors said that four individuals and one movement will receive the award this year: Karma Phuntsho from Bhutan, Farwiza Farhan from Indonesia, Miyazaki Hayao from Japan, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong from Vietnam and the Rural Doctors Movement of Thailand.
The selection of Bhutanese Phuntso was based on “his invaluable and enduring contribution to harmonizing the richness of his country’s past with the diverse situations and perspectives of its present, inspiring young Bhutanese to be proud of their heritage and confident in their future.” Japan’s Hayao, on the other hand, was considered for “his lifelong commitment to using art, particularly animation, to illuminate the human condition, with particular praise for his devotion to children as torchbearers of imagination, to whom he passed on the light and spark of his own imagination.”
The RMAF also honours the Thai Rural Doctors Movement for “its historic and continued contribution to the health of the people and, perhaps just as importantly, to their recognition and realisation as citizens with fundamental rights.” The Thai Rural Doctors Movement has earned recognition for its support of the rural poor. Vietnamese Phuong is known for “her spirit of public service and the message of hope she continues to spread among her people.” According to the RMAF, her work “serves as a warning to the world to avoid war at all costs, as its tragic repercussions can reach far into the future.” The RMAF also stressed that Phuong provides “proof that it is never too late to right the wrongs of war and obtain justice and relief for its unfortunate victims.”
Farwiza Farhan from Indonesia was this year’s Emerging Leader. She was recognized for her “deep understanding of the vital link between nature and humanity, her commitment to social justice and responsible citizenship through her work with forest communities, and her advocacy for greater awareness of the need to protect the beating heart and lungs of her country’s and Asia’s rich but threatened natural resources.”
Each Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient receives a medallion bearing the late President’s likeness, a certificate bearing his or her citation, and a cash prize. The 66th Ramon Magsaysay Award Ceremony will be held at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila on November 16, 2024, where the recipients will be officially honored. Each year, individuals and organizations from across Asia receive this award, the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize, for demonstrating the same selfless service and leadership that characterized the life of the beloved Filipino leader, the seventh president of the Philippines.
“Those who dare to imagine a better world and dedicate themselves to making this vision a reality are shaping the future,” said RMAF President Cheche L. Lazaro. “By addressing critical societal challenges and proposing innovative solutions in their communities, they have shown us that creating positive change is not only a possibility, but a shared responsibility,” she added. “We honor this year’s recipients, whose tenacity in the face of adversity reflects the very essence of the Prize,” said RMAF President Susanna B. Afan, who explained that for more than sixty years, the Prize has celebrated those who “challenge the status quo with integrity by courageously confronting systemic injustices, transform critical sectors through innovative solutions that drive societal progress, and address pressing global problems with unwavering resilience.”
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