Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation Announces 2026 Awardees
2 sources across 2 countries · Philippines · Singapore · 1 of them is linked to a state
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- CNA
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- Centre
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- Right
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The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) has announced its 2026 awardees, honoring three individuals from Singapore, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The recipients are veteran diplomat Tommy Koh, social entrepreneur Runa Khan, and human rights defender Bo Kyi. The formal citation ceremony is scheduled for November 15 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.
Tommy Koh, an 88 year old Singaporean statesman and lawyer, was recognized for his leadership in international diplomacy and his role in negotiations for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The RMAF noted his contributions to academia and public policy, including his roles as the founding chairman of the National University of Singapore's Centre for International Law and founding rector of NUS Tembusu College. Koh recently retired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after 55 years of service. He is the fourth Singaporean to receive the award since its inception.
Runa Khan of Bangladesh was honored for her work with the organization Friendship, which she founded in 2002. Her work focuses on providing healthcare, education, and climate resilience to the most vulnerable communities, specifically those living on temporary islands and sandbars. Her organization utilizes hospital ships, mobile clinics, and prefabricated schools to reach these populations.
Bo Kyi from Myanmar was recognized for his commitment to truth and justice for political prisoners. A former political prisoner himself, Bo Kyi helped establish the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) in 2000 to document political imprisonment and support detainees and their families. He has advocated for the release of all political prisoners in Myanmar, including former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
While both reports present the facts of the awards neutrally, the center leaning coverage emphasizes the prestige of the award as Asia's version of the Nobel Prize and highlights the specific diplomatic legacy of Tommy Koh. The center left leaning coverage frames the event as a broader effort to inspire others to address human development issues across Asia.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The center left leaning report frames the awards as a catalyst for addressing broader human development issues in Asia.
- Centre
- The center leaning report focuses on the prestige of the award and provides detailed professional history for the Singaporean recipient.
Sources
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