Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation marks 65 years with launch of commemorative book series

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) celebrated its 65th anniversary by launching a commemorative book series that highlights the life and works of Ramon Magsaysay Awardees.

Titled “Greatness of Spirit: Stories of Love, Courage, and Service,” this comprehensive compilation showcases the transformative efforts of all 348 recipients of Asia’s highest accolade.

The book series was unveiled on July 2 during the Manila leg of the foundation’s "Greatness of Spirit" knowledge exchange series.

The event took place at the Ramon Magsaysay Center and was convened by Ambassador Delia Albert, a returning member of the RMAF Board of Trustees.

The celebration brought together around 20 Ramon Magsaysay Award laureates and various members of the diplomatic corps.

In her keynote address, Ambassador Albert emphasized that the seven-volume book series signifies the foundation’s commitment to amplifying the message of every Ramon Magsaysay Awardee.

“Collectively, they have illuminated the lives of millions of people, not just within their respective borders, but even beyond. Today, their light continues to make Asia shine brighter,” she said.

According to the RMAF, buying the book series is one of the ways to support the foundation’s plans to renovate the Ramon Magsaysay Center in Manila “into a dynamic hub for dialogue and collaboration” for its laureates.

Meanwhile, President Susanna Afan RMAF underlined how their series of dialogues can further foster collaboration among Magsaysay laureates.

“This… is what we do. We spark fires. We help start new movements,” she said. “We inspire, interconnect, and ignite more action through inspiring lives and transformative works of all 348 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees.”

Spearheaded by the Ramon Magsaysay Transformative Leadership Institute (RMTLI), the Greatness of Spirit dialogue series is part of the 65th anniversary commemoration of the RMAF.

Its main objective is to strengthen its connections across the Asian region, inspire support, and deepen its mission centred on transformative leadership.

The first leg of the dialogues took place in Pakistan in April 2024. It is scheduled to convene in other key Asian cities in the coming months.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, named after the seventh president of the Philippines, is given to individuals in Asia who excelled in addressing issues of human development since 1958.

The Philippines holds the highest number of laureates at 65, followed by India with 59, and Indonesia with 29.