The 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees Announced

The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) announced on August 31 that this year's awards, which are in their 65th year, have four recipients.

Established in 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s premier prize and highest honor. It celebrates the memory and leadership example of the seventh Philippine president, after whom the Award is named, and is given every year to individuals or organizations in Asia who manifest the same selfless service and transformative influence that ruled the life of the late and beloved Filipino leader.

The awardees are Ravi Kannan (Hero for Holistic Healthcare) from India, Miriam Coronel–Ferrer (Women in Peace-Building Pioneer) from the Philippines, Eugenio Lemos (Food Sovereignty Visionary) from Timor-Leste, and Korvi Rakshand (Education-for-All Champion) from Bangladesh. 

Kannan is being recognized for "his profession’s highest ideals of public service, his combination of skill, commitment, and compassion in pushing the boundaries of people-centered, pro-poor health care and cancer care, and for having built, without expectation of reward, a beacon of hope for millions in the Indian state of Assam, thus setting a shining example for all."

Ferrer is being recognized for "her deep, unwavering belief in the transformative power of non-violent strategies in peacebuilding, her cool intelligence and courage in surmounting difficulties to convey the truth that it is through inclusion rather than division that peace can be won and sustained, and her unstinting devotion to the agenda of harnessing the power of women in creating a just and peaceful world."

Lemos is being recognized for "his indomitable spirit in uplifting the lives of local communities, his vision and passion in integrating local and indigenous cultures in his advocacy for the care of the environment and the well-being of people, and for being truly a man of and for his people, and thus for the world as well."

Rakshand, 38, is being recognized for Emergent Leadership for "his determined spirit and quiet courage in turning away from a secure life to a more demanding one of working for the underprivileged; his strong, visionary leadership in democratizing education and inspiring thousands of young people to heed the call of social transformation; and for thus demonstrating how the young can be not just the bearers of the promise of the nation, but its realization."

"This year, on the Awards’ 65th anniversary, the Foundation takes immense pride in the four individuals whom we have elected to receive Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, the Ramon Magsaysay Award.

The 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees’ advocacies may be diverse, and they have their own distinct approaches to addressing issues in their societies. But their common denominator is Greatness of Spirit," stated Aurelio R. Montinola III, Chairperson of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.

He shared, "Through their transformative work, India’s Ravi Kannan R., the Philippines’ Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Timor-Leste’s Eugenio Lemos, and our Emergent Leadership Awardee, Bangladesh’s Korvi Rakshand is redefining inclusivity in these modern yet troubled times. At its core, their collective message is very simple yet often forgotten: treat one another with love, care, and respect."

Susanna B. Afan, President of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, said, "Year on year, we at the Foundation have found individuals who stand tall and stand out no matter where they are from. The 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees are such persons. They are Asia’s torchbearers of hope, illuminating the lives of millions."

According to Afan, through their 'Greatness of Spirit,'  2023 Magsaysay Awardees have "offered their respective societies successful and replicable solutions to some of our most pressing challenges' and reminded us all of 'our common humanity.'

In a 30-minute Zoom meeting on Thursday morning, the awardees thanked the organizers and the people they work with.

Lemos said the award will help him and his organization in their advocacy.

Ferrer said all this adds to the basic human need for peace and justice. She emphasized that "we are all connected" and hoped for a better future for everyone. She said that with global peace, the everyday peace of ordinary people is also essential. 

Rakshand acknowledged the award puts more responsibility on him, and more doors for partnership will be opened, which becomes a community. He looks forward to learning from each other to make the world a better place.

Kannan said that with so many good things happening, it must have been hard work for the organizers. 

This year’s Ramon Magsaysay Awardees will each receive a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, a certificate inscribed with their citation, and a cash prize.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award will be formally bestowed upon the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees at the Presentation Ceremonies to be held on November 11, 2023, at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila, Philippines.