The Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2026 have awarded three Asia-based individuals with a great deal of influence in diplomacy, democracy and humanitarian work. Singaporean diplomat and lawyer Tommy Koh, Myanmar democracy activist Bo Kyi, and Bangladeshi humanitarian Runa Khan will be the recipients of the award.
The three awardees are from different fields of public service but all work with a common passion for people and communities. Their work is international diplomacy, democracy and the struggle for democratic rights, and grassroots humanitarian support, and it encapsulates the broad values of the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
Tommy Koh is still one of Singapore’s most respected diplomats and international legal figures at 88. He has been associated with international dialogue, peaceful cooperation and the rule of law. Koh is known for leading negotiations on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Koh chaired the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, a multilateral diplomatic meeting involving more than 150 countries. The negotiations culminated in the adoption of UNCLOS in 1982 and a legal framework which governs the world's oceans and seas.
His award is in a time of great relevance as maritime boundaries, marine resources, environmental protection and freedom of navigation continue to be important issues in Asia and beyond. Koh’s diplomatic career has been based on dialogue and consensus.
The second recipient, Bo Kyi, has devoted decades of his life to Myanmar’s democracy movement and the cause of political prisoners. A former political prisoner himself, Bo Kyi has documented human rights abuses and advocated for people imprisoned because of their political beliefs.
His activism has cost him so much personally. He was arrested, imprisoned and detained when he got involved in Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement and then left the country. Then he founded the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which records the experiences of political prisoners and provides help to the former prisoners’ families.
Bo Kyi’s work has helped make international recognition of human rights violations in Myanmar. Documentation, advocacy and support for political prisoners has been his way of making sure that those affected by repression don’t get forgotten. His Ramon Magsaysay recognition also shows us the dangers people face for the sake of democracy and human dignity despite their hardships.
Bangladesh’s Runa Khan will now be awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2026. A former teacher, Khan has dedicated her career to humanitarian work on a humanitarian level specifically in communities affected by poverty, climate change and environmental issues.
Khan founded Friendship, a Bangladeshi organisation that works for marginalized people, particularly in small and remote areas. She has worked in healthcare, education, livelihoods, disaster preparation and disaster relief.
Her background as a teacher helped shape her approach towards humanitarian work, with compassion and dignity at the heart of her efforts. Through Friendship, she has worked with communities in some of Bangladesh’s most challenging environments, including riverine and climate-vulnerable regions.
Koh, Bo Kyi and Khan are recognized for the diversity of ways that individuals can contribute to society. Koh had a foreign policy of diplomacy and law; Bo Kyi was concerned about democracy and human rights, and Khan worked with grassroots communities at home.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in Asia for public service. Namely, it is named after Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, and it is awarded to individuals and organizations that have shown integrity, courage and selfless service to communities.
The 2026 recipients therefore have a lot to do with the achievements of their careers and the values they have brought to their work. Their stories are the ones that show how much cooperation, democratic freedom, and compassion towards others are relevant to them.
As Asia is experiencing political instability, climate-related disasters, inequality and complex international disputes today, the contributions of people working to solve these problems are so much more relevant than they have been in the past. Tommy Koh, Bo Kyi and Runa Khan are all among the region's best examples in service and leadership.
