2015 Ramon Magsaysay awardees named
The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) announced yesterday that five individuals from India, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines will receive Asia’s premier prize – the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
They are: Kommaly Chanthavong (Laos); Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa (Philippines); Anshu Gupta (India); Kyaw Thu (Myanmar); and Sanjiv Chaturvedi (India).
Fernando-Amilbangsa is being recognized for her single-minded crusade in preserving the endangered artistic heritage of southern Philippines and in creatively propagating a dance form that celebrates and deepens the sense of shared cultural identity among Asians.
Kommaly Chanthavong is being recognized for her fearless, indomitable spirit to revive and develop the ancient Laotian art of silk weaving, creating livelihoods for thousands of poor, wardisplaced Laotians, and thus preserving the dignity of women and her nation’s priceless silken cultural treasure.
Anshu Gupta’s creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India, his enterprising leadership in treating cloth as a sustainable development source for the poor, and in reminding the world that true giving always respects and preserves human dignity earned for him the award.
Sanjiv Chaturvedi, also from India, is being recognized for Emergent Leadership, and his exemplary integrity, courage and tenacity in uncompro- misingly exposing and painstakingly investigating corruption in public office and his resolute crafting of program and system improvements to ensure that government honorably serves the people of India.
Kyaw Thu’s generous compassion in addressing the fundamental needs of both the living and the dead in Myanmar, regardless of their class or religion, and his channeling personal fame and privilege to mobilize many others toward serving the greater social good is also being recognized.
“The Magsaysay awardees of 2015 are truly stoking fresh hopes for a better Asia. Clearly, they are creating bold solutions to deeply-rooted social problems in their respective societies, problems which are most damaging to the lives of those trapped in poverty, ignorance, prejudice, and unjust systems. It is also clear that through their solutions each of these inspiring leaders is building more hopeful lives among their people – one smart, impassioned, and persistent step at a time,” said RMAF president Carmencita Abella.
The five 2015 Magsaysay awardees will each receive a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize. They will be formally conferred the Magsaysay Award during formal presentation ceremonies to be held on August 31, 2015 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. (ICDL)