Doctor who helped Agent Orange victims wins Magsaysay Award
August 31, 2024
By Associated Press
This undated photo provided by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation shows 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, center, from Vietnam.
(Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation via AP)
MANILA, Philippines —
A Vietnamese doctor who has helped seek justice for victims of the powerful defoliant dioxin "Agent Orange" used by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War is among this year's winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards — regarded as Asia's version of the Nobel Prizes.
Other winners announced on Saturday were a group of doctors who struggled to secure adequate health care for Thailand's rural poor, an Indonesian environmental defender, a Japanese animator who tackles complex issues for children, and a Bhutanese academician promoting his country's cultural heritage to help current predicaments.
First given in 1958, the annual awards are named after a Philippine president who died in a 1957 plane crash, and honor "greatness of spirit" in selfless service to people across Asia.
"The award has celebrated those who challenge the status quo with integrity by courageously confronting systemic injustices, transform critical sectors through groundbreaking solutions that drive societal progress, and address pressing global issues with unwavering resilience," said Susanna B. Afan, president of the award foundation.
Vietnamese doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong carried out extensive research into the devastating and long-term effects of Agent Orange. She said she first encountered it in the late 1960s as a medical intern when she helped deliver babies with severe birth defects as a result of the lingering effect of highly toxic chemical, according to the awards body.
"Her work serves as a dire warning for the world to avoid war at all costs as its tragic repercussions can reach far into the future," the Magsaysay foundation said. "She offers proof that it can never be too late to right the wrongs of war and gain justice and relief for its hapless victims."
American forces used Agent Orange during the Vietnam War to defoliate Vietnamese jungles and destroy crops for the Vietnamese Communists, or Viet Cong, who fought against South Vietnam and the United States.
Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. military sprayed roughly 11 million gallons of the chemical agent dioxin used in Agent Orange across large swaths of southern Vietnam. Dioxin stays in the soil and in the sediment of lakes and rivers for generations. It can enter the food supply through the fat of fish and other animals.
Vietnam says as many as 4 million citizens were exposed to the herbicide and as many as 3 million have suffered illnesses from it, including the children of people exposed during the war.
Indonesian Farwiza Farhan won the award for helping lead a group to protect the Leuser Ecosystem, a 2.6-million-hectare forest on Sumatra Island in his country's Aceh province where some of the world's most highly endangered species have managed to survive, the foundation said.
MANILA, Philippines —
A Vietnamese doctor who has helped seek justice for victims of the powerful defoliant dioxin "Agent Orange" used by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War is among this year's winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards — regarded as Asia's version of the Nobel Prizes.
Other winners announced on Saturday were a group of doctors who struggled to secure adequate health care for Thailand's rural poor, an Indonesian environmental defender, a Japanese animator who tackles complex issues for children, and a Bhutanese academician promoting his country's cultural heritage to help current predicaments.
First given in 1958, the annual awards are named after a Philippine president who died in a 1957 plane crash, and honor "greatness of spirit" in selfless service to people across Asia.
"The award has celebrated those who challenge the status quo with integrity by courageously confronting systemic injustices, transform critical sectors through groundbreaking solutions that drive societal progress, and address pressing global issues with unwavering resilience," said Susanna B. Afan, president of the award foundation.
Vietnamese doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong carried out extensive research into the devastating and long-term effects of Agent Orange. She said she first encountered it in the late 1960s as a medical intern when she helped deliver babies with severe birth defects as a result of the lingering effect of highly toxic chemical, according to the awards body.
"Her work serves as a dire warning for the world to avoid war at all costs as its tragic repercussions can reach far into the future," the Magsaysay foundation said. "She offers proof that it can never be too late to right the wrongs of war and gain justice and relief for its hapless victims."
American forces used Agent Orange during the Vietnam War to defoliate Vietnamese jungles and destroy crops for the Vietnamese Communists, or Viet Cong, who fought against South Vietnam and the United States.
Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. military sprayed roughly 11 million gallons of the chemical agent dioxin used in Agent Orange across large swaths of southern Vietnam. Dioxin stays in the soil and in the sediment of lakes and rivers for generations. It can enter the food supply through the fat of fish and other animals.
Vietnam says as many as 4 million citizens were exposed to the herbicide and as many as 3 million have suffered illnesses from it, including the children of people exposed during the war.
Indonesian Farwiza Farhan won the award for helping lead a group to protect the Leuser Ecosystem, a 2.6-million-hectare forest on Sumatra Island in his country's Aceh province where some of the world's most highly endangered species have managed to survive, the foundation said.
This undated photo provided by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation shows 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Emergent Leadership, Farwiza Farhan of Indonesia, sitting beside an elephant. (Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation via AP)
Her group helped win a court verdict that led to $26 million in fines against a palm oil company that burned forests and stopped a hydroelectric dam that would have threatened the elephant's habitat, the foundation said.
Miyazaki Hayao, a popular animator in Japan, was cited by the awards body as a co-founder in 1985 of Studio Ghibli, a leading proponent of animated films for children. Three Ghibli productions were among Japan's 10 top-grossing films.
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Her group helped win a court verdict that led to $26 million in fines against a palm oil company that burned forests and stopped a hydroelectric dam that would have threatened the elephant's habitat, the foundation said.
Miyazaki Hayao, a popular animator in Japan, was cited by the awards body as a co-founder in 1985 of Studio Ghibli, a leading proponent of animated films for children. Three Ghibli productions were among Japan's 10 top-grossing films.
In this undated photo provided by Arai via the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, Japan's Miyazaki Hayao, reads a script. (Arai/Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation via AP)
"He tackles complicated issues, using his art to make them comprehensible to children, whether it be about protecting the environment, advocating for peace or championing the rights and roles of women in society," the foundation said.
The Rural Doctors Movement, a group of Thai physicians, won the award for their "decades of struggle … to secure adequate and affordable health care for their people, especially the rural poor," the foundation said.
"By championing the rural poor, the movement made sure to leave no one behind as the nation marches forward to greater economic prosperity and modernization," it said.
Karma Phuntsho from Bhutan, a former Buddhist monk and an Oxford-educated scholar, was cited by the awards body for his academic works in the field of Buddhism and Bhutan's rich history and cultural heritage that were being harnessed to address current and future problems in his country, including unemployment and access to high-quality education.
"He tackles complicated issues, using his art to make them comprehensible to children, whether it be about protecting the environment, advocating for peace or championing the rights and roles of women in society," the foundation said.
The Rural Doctors Movement, a group of Thai physicians, won the award for their "decades of struggle … to secure adequate and affordable health care for their people, especially the rural poor," the foundation said.
"By championing the rural poor, the movement made sure to leave no one behind as the nation marches forward to greater economic prosperity and modernization," it said.
Karma Phuntsho from Bhutan, a former Buddhist monk and an Oxford-educated scholar, was cited by the awards body for his academic works in the field of Buddhism and Bhutan's rich history and cultural heritage that were being harnessed to address current and future problems in his country, including unemployment and access to high-quality education.
This undated photo provided by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation shows 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, Karma Phuntsho, left, from Bhutan. (Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation via AP)
The winners will be presented with their awards and a cash prize on November 16 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.
The winners will be presented with their awards and a cash prize on November 16 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.
Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki among winners of Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s ‘Nobel Prize’
Mr Hayao Miyazaki has been chosen as one of the five winners for the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asia’s Nobel Prize.
PHOTO: STUDIO GHIBLI/ ENCORE FILMS
Chin Hui Shan
ST
Sep 01, 2024
Mr Hayao Miyazaki – director of acclaimed films such as Spirited Away – has been chosen as one of the five winners for the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asia’s Nobel Prize.
The co-founder of Studio Ghibli produced a lot of anime films on difficult themes such as environmental protection and peace, and made them comprehensible to children, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said.
The 83-year-old is also known for his works such as Princess Mononoke and The Boy And The Heron.
The Philippines-based foundation said on its website that these works display a deep understanding of the human condition, engage their viewers to reflect on their own situation and exercise their humanity.
Three other individuals and one group were also selected as the 2024 recipients. The list of winners was announced on Aug 31.
Among them is a Vietnamese doctor, Dr Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, who has helped seek justice for victims of the powerful defoliant dioxin, known as Agent Orange, used by US forces during the Vietnam War.
Former Buddhist monk Karma Phuntsho – the founder of an educational charity in Bhutan – is recognised for his contributions towards harmonising the richness of his country’s past with the diverse predicaments and prospects of its present, the foundation said.
Another winner is Indonesian Farwiza Farhan who helped lead a group to protect the Leuser Ecosystem, a 2.6-million-hectare forest in Sumatra in Aceh province, which is home to highly endangered species and faces severe threats from deforestation, infrastructure and weak law enforcement.
The Rural Doctors’ Movement of Thailand, a group of Thai doctors, is also awarded for its dedication and struggle to secure adequate healthcare for Thailand’s rural poor.
The award ceremony will be held in Manila in November.
The Ramon Magsaysay award is named after the seventh Filipino president, a former automobile mechanic who was venerated for his servant leadership that earned him the moniker Champion of the Masses.
Past winners included Singapore’s former deputy prime minister Goh Keng Swee and Malaysia’s former chief justice Suffian Hashim.
Chin Hui Shan
ST
Sep 01, 2024
Mr Hayao Miyazaki – director of acclaimed films such as Spirited Away – has been chosen as one of the five winners for the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as Asia’s Nobel Prize.
The co-founder of Studio Ghibli produced a lot of anime films on difficult themes such as environmental protection and peace, and made them comprehensible to children, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said.
The 83-year-old is also known for his works such as Princess Mononoke and The Boy And The Heron.
The Philippines-based foundation said on its website that these works display a deep understanding of the human condition, engage their viewers to reflect on their own situation and exercise their humanity.
Three other individuals and one group were also selected as the 2024 recipients. The list of winners was announced on Aug 31.
Among them is a Vietnamese doctor, Dr Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, who has helped seek justice for victims of the powerful defoliant dioxin, known as Agent Orange, used by US forces during the Vietnam War.
Former Buddhist monk Karma Phuntsho – the founder of an educational charity in Bhutan – is recognised for his contributions towards harmonising the richness of his country’s past with the diverse predicaments and prospects of its present, the foundation said.
Another winner is Indonesian Farwiza Farhan who helped lead a group to protect the Leuser Ecosystem, a 2.6-million-hectare forest in Sumatra in Aceh province, which is home to highly endangered species and faces severe threats from deforestation, infrastructure and weak law enforcement.
The Rural Doctors’ Movement of Thailand, a group of Thai doctors, is also awarded for its dedication and struggle to secure adequate healthcare for Thailand’s rural poor.
The award ceremony will be held in Manila in November.
The Ramon Magsaysay award is named after the seventh Filipino president, a former automobile mechanic who was venerated for his servant leadership that earned him the moniker Champion of the Masses.
Past winners included Singapore’s former deputy prime minister Goh Keng Swee and Malaysia’s former chief justice Suffian Hashim.
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