The 64th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies will once again celebrate greatness of spirit and transformative leadership across Asia on Wednesday, November 30 at 4:30 pm.

\The four recipients of Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, namely Gary Bencheghib from Indonesia, Sotheara Chhim from Cambodia, Tadashi Hattori from Japan and Bernadette J. Madrid from the Philippines, will personally receive their Awards in a private event at the Ramon Magsaysay Center in Manila, Philippines.

 “This year’s Ramon Magsaysay Awards represents the best of humanity as epitomized by the 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees,” shared Aurelio R. Montinola III, Chairperson of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF).  “This year is also a transition year for us at the Foundation.

To strengthen our identity as an Asian organization, we shall continue inviting prominent Asian leaders, including past Ramon Magsaysay Awardees, to be guests of honor at the annual Presentation Ceremonies. On this occasion, we are honored to have one of the world’s widely acclaimed leaders in the field of public health, education and community development, 1994 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Mechai Viravaidya from Thailand, to deliver the keynote message.”

 The COVID-19 pandemic has motivated the Foundation to keep innovating in the ways it does its work and presents its laureates.

RMAF President Susanna Afan shared, “Greatness of Spirit is very much alive in Asia and we need to find more creative ways of bringing hope and inspiration to our larger audience, Asia.  Last year, we managed to pull off a 100 percent virtual event that brought us our best viewership to date, with over a million views! This year, we are holding our first hybrid event as pandemic constraints have somewhat eased.”

 For the first time in its 64-year history, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards is being held at the Ramon Magsaysay Center.  Afan said: “It’s like coming home, and discovering a whole new vantage point. While the venue will be much smaller and the program much simpler than what we usually hold, we are aiming to reach a wider audience, across the Philippines and the Asian region who can join us through our various live-streaming platforms.”

 Montinola said: “We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the transformative work and the inspiring lives of the 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees.  Their remarkable achievements are testament that Asia is a region teeming with seemingly ordinary people who are capable of doing extraordinary things. They are leaders who can truly change the world.”

 The 64th Ramon Magsaysay Awards will be livestreamed on November 30, 4:30 pm (Manila Time) on the Ramon Magsaysay Award’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel. Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation