World News
Singapore diplomat, Myanmar activist, and Bangladeshi aid worker win Ramon Magsaysay Awards
Three laureates from Singapore, Myanmar, and Bangladesh will receive Asia's Ramon Magsaysay Awards in Manila on November 15.
The short version
- Singaporean diplomat Tommy Koh, Myanmar activist Bo Kyi, and Bangladeshi aid worker Runa Khan have been named the winners of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Awards.
- The awards honor individuals for contributions to international law, human rights documentation, and poverty alleviation in Asia.
- The laureates will receive a certificate, medallion, and an undisclosed cash prize at a ceremony in Manila on November 15.
Key facts
- Tommy Koh, an 88-year-old lawyer and diplomat from Singapore, was honored for promoting international dialogue and presiding over the U.N. conference that adopted the Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982.[Associated Press]
- Bo Kyi, a 61-year-old human rights activist who spent seven years as a political prisoner in Myanmar, was recognized for co-founding the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in 2000.[Associated Press]
- Runa Khan, 67, won the award for founding Friendship Bangladesh in 2002, an organization providing health, education, and climate resilience services to impoverished communities.[Associated Press]
- The Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1958 and named after a former Philippine president who died in 1957, is presented annually in Manila.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The specific cash prize amount awarded to each laureate remains undisclosed by the organizers.[Associated Press]