Founder of Studio Ghibli and Bhutan’s first winner among RMA recipients

In the 66th year of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards, five winners were announced, including the founder of Japan’s Studio Ghibli and Bhutan’s first-ever winner.

The 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees are Karma Phuntsho (Bhutan), Miyazaki Hayao (Japan), the Rural Doctors Movement (Thailand), Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong (Vietnam), and in the Emergent Leadership category, Farwiza Farhan (Indonesia).

“These transformative leaders shape norms, blaze roads, paint virtues, transform systems, weave peace and reinterpret the world born from countless dreams,” said Cecilia L. Lazaro, President of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), during the global announcement of the winners on Saturday.

Mr. Hayao, a Japanese master filmmaker and founder of Studio Ghibli, was recognized for more than 40 years of his “lifelong dedication to using art, especially animation, to illuminate the human condition, especially his dedication to children as torchbearers. of imagination,” RMAFs said in a statement.

Some of his notable works are My neighbor Totoro, Howl’s moving castle, Princess MononokeAnd Ghostly awaywhich “have plagued our minds and enchanted our imaginations,” according to the RMAF.

According to RMAF President Susanna B. Afan, Mr. Hayao’s recognition is both an inspiration to young artists and a source of pride for the Asian community.

“We want to encourage artists to use art not only for money and self-promotion, but also to be a means of teaching young people about difficult things in life,” Ms. Afan said in an interview.

“This is truly an Asian art form, what they can do is completely accepted and loved by many. It is a great achievement and we Asians can be very proud that this has happened.”

Meanwhile, Mr Phuntsho was recognized as the first Bhutanese Magsaysay winner for “his invaluable and lasting contributions to harmonizing the riches of his country’s past with the diverse problems and prospects of the present,” the RMAF said.

Mr. Phuntsho founded the Loden Foundation, which is at the forefront of supporting Bhutanese children in meeting their educational needs.

The recognition of Bhutan’s first Magsaysay Prize winner reflects the foundation’s admiration for the country, Ms. Afan said.

“I hope they realize even though they are a small country, they are part of the Asian community, we admire their culture and we admire their history,” Ms Afan said.

Other recipients include the Rural Doctors Movement, which was recognized for its historic contributions to the country’s public health as part of fulfilling and recognizing the basic rights of citizens.

Ms. Phuong, an obstetrician, was also recognized for using her abilities to help victims of Agent Orange, the toxic chemical sprayed by the U.S. military during the height of the Vietnam War.

“Her work serves as a stern warning to the world to avoid war at all costs, as its tragic consequences could extend far into the future,” the RMAF said.

Ms. Farhan, founder of Hutan, Alam dan Lingkungan Aceh (HaKa), was recognized as the leading figure in strengthening the protection, conservation and restoration of the Leuser ecosystem.

An Indonesian biodiversity hotspot and one of Asia’s largest carbon sinks.

The five recently announced Magsaysay Award winners join a group of more than 300 past winners and continue to inspire people, especially in Asia, with their transformative leadership.

“I think what makes the (Ramon Magsaysay Award) important, (and) what makes it relevant is the winners themselves…The work they did before still resonates today and is still relevant today day,” said Mrs. Afan. – Edg Adrian A. Eva