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Since its inception, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) has
annually honored men and women working in Asia who have served their
community, country and the Asian region with “greatness of
spirit”, the Award ideal commemorating President Ramon
Magsaysay’s inspiring leadership.
The sudden and tragic loss of the much-admired
third president of the Philippine Republic in 1957 inspired the
trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) to establish the
Ramon Magsaysay Award to honor his memory by recognizing other
leaders in Asia whose work in selfless service to their societies
reflects the same values and ideals that he exemplified.
In August 1958, the first Magsaysay Awards were
given, in fitting ceremonies held in Manila, to five individuals and
one organization who were working in India, Indonesia, Philippines,
Sri Lanka, and Taiwan. In the 50 years since then, over 250
individuals and organizations have received the Magsaysay Award, now
considered Asia’s most prestigious prize and the region’s
highest honor. These laureates, coming from twenty-one countries
across Asia, reflect a diversity of race, religion, cultures,
advocacies, expertise, and personal circumstances.
Spanning the past five decades, the Magsaysay
awardees have worked on a wide range of economic, social and
political issues within changing historical contexts of their vastly
different Asian societies. The Magsaysay awardees have all been, and
continue to be, successful builders of what Asia has become today.
Carmencita Abella, RMAF president, explains that
the roster of Magsaysay awardees includes social and political
leaders who have led independence movements, established, restored,
or strengthened democratic institutions, and reformed inept
government systems. Other awardees have modernized their post-war
economies, preserved and promoted indigenous cultures, and pioneered
in setting up basic human services programs in health, education,
and social welfare especially for the poor and marginalized.
As scientists and doctors many Magsaysay
awardees have revolutionized agricultural production, led
breakthroughs in disease control, cancer treatment, maternal health
and child survival. As public intellectuals other awardees have
shaped public policy and discourse towards environmental protection,
promoting human rights, religious tolerance, the empowerment of
women, and participative development. Still others have worked
tirelessly and against great odds to save lives at risk from social
stigma, uncontrolled pandemics, protracted government neglect and
unabated corruption, civil wars, pervasive ignorance, and the abuse
of shared natural resources like water and forests and air. Finally,
Abella points to Magsaysay awardees who, by the power of their pen
or their artistic works, have awakened the conscience of their
societies to address urgent social ills.
But in celebrating the Magsaysay Award’s 50th
anniversary, the RMAF also looks at what lies ahead for Asia.
Despite the rapid growth of many Asian economies, the challenges of
poverty and inequality, environmental degradation, and social
conflict continue to confront the region. The anniversary activities
include The Asia Forum, an international conference on August 30-31
where the Magsaysay laureates will engage like-spirited leaders from
business, civil society, media, academe, and international
development organizations in a dialogue to forge partnerships that
will address these challenges more successfully in the future.
On a different note, the Magsaysay Award’s
50th anniversary celebration will also showcase the first-ever
performance in Manila of the world-acclaimed Cloud Gate Dance
Theatre of Taiwan whose founder and artistic director, Lin Hwai-min,
received the Magsaysay Award in 1999. They will perform “Moon
Water” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on August 30th
and 31st.
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