Ramon Magsaysay Award keen on linking, inspiring global audience to action as it marks its 65th year

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation looks forward to interconnecting and rousing the audience worldwide after 65 years of honoring human greatness in Asia.

"The Ramon Magsaysay Award is gearing up for this new phase of the Award," said Susanna B. Afan, president of the foundation. "We are now focusing on three things: inspiring our global audience through the lives and work of our Magsaysay Laureates, interconnecting them with the next generation of leaders in Asia, and igniting action through creative collaborations with like-hearted partners."

The Foundation believed that the global audience's inspiration, interconnection, and action could shape Asia into "a better and kinder" one, she noted.

The foundation has also expressed pride in being a highly esteemed award-giving body on the continent for the past 65 years.

“After 65 years of honoring Greatness of Spirit, we are very proud that the Ramon Magsaysay Award continues to be one of Asia’s most respected heritage brands," said Aurelio R. Montinola III, the foundation chairman.

The foundation also regards its 65-year milestone as a celebration and a challenge. It is also looking at making an impact on the continent and globally.

"As we continue our mission of celebrating the inspiring lives and transformative works of all our past and future Magsaysay Laureates, we are also looking at how we can influence the various discourses on issues affecting Asia and the world," Montinola said.

A limited edition seven-volume book series titled Greatness of Spirit is the highlight of the Foundation's 65-year milestone.

The book series features all the Ramon Magsaysay Laureates spanning 65 years from 1958 to 2023.

“We at the Foundation are very proud of this commemorative book series as it represents the rich history of Asia through the lens of the Ramon Magsaysay Award and our Magsaysay Laureates," Afan said. "Our Laureates are the visionaries, pioneers, masters of the arts, innovators, humanitarians, and peace-builders who have shaped the region over the past 65 years."

The book series is set to be made public and available in October, coinciding with the 65th Ramon Magsaysay Awards.

As part of the 18-month commemoration, a year-long leadership workshop will be held this year. The workshop would center on women's empowerment in Asia.

The announcement of the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees will be live-streamed on August 31. The awards are set for November 11 in Manila.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, named after the late Philippine President Magsaysay, was established in 1957 to honor the greatness of the human spirit across Asia by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The annual Award was established to immortalize and perpetuate Magsaysay's integrity and courage in governance.

The first Ramon Magsaysay Awards were accorded to five individuals and one organization from China, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines in 1968, a year after its establishment.

The Awards have been conferred to 344 men, women, and organizations in Asia.

The Magsaysay Laurettes include Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Akira Kurosawa, Ela Ramesh Bhatt, Fazle Hasan Abed, Muhammad Yunus and Mechai Viravaidya.

"With its renewed commitment to becoming Asia’s Center of Hope and Inspiration," the Ramon Magsaysay Award "has introduced new programs aimed at helping amplify the Ramon Magsaysay Laureates' messages and replicate their successful solutions beyond their respective borders," the foundation said. -Oliver Samson