The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation has formally announced that the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Emergent Leadership is environmental activist and forest conservationist Farwiza Farhan from Aceh, Indonesia.
Farhan’s lifelong environmental advocacy has manifested in her aspirations as a child and in her pursuit of higher education. As the co-founder and current chairperson of Yayasan Hutan, Alam dan Lingkungan Aceh (HAkA) or Forest, Nature and Environment Aceh Foundation, Farhan has been pivotal in leading community-driven conservation efforts within the Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh, Indonesia. Under her leadership, HAkA has engaged and empowered local communities, especially Acehnese women, through awareness-raising and skills training, including paralegal, citizen journalism, and forest ranger programs.
The Leuser Ecosystem, a 6.5 million acre rainforest in Sumatra, is home to critically endangered species such as the Sumatran orangutans, elephants, tigers, and rhinos. Severe threats caused by exploitative and destructive human activities have pushed Farhan to become one of the leading voices for the protection, conservation, and restoration of the biodiversity hotspot.
Farhan’s official citation reads: “The board of trustees recognizes her profound understanding of the vital connection between nature and humanity, her commitment to social justice and responsible citizenship through her work with forest communities, and her promotion of greater awareness of the need to protect the beating heart and lungs of her country’s and Asia’s rich but endangered natural resources.”
In an official statement, Farhan reflects upon the recognition, “I am deeply honored and humbled to have been selected as one of the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees. I was surprised and incredibly moved when I heard the news, but I feel that this Award is less about me and more about the collective power at Yayasan Hutan, Alam, dan Lingkungan Aceh and our partners, supporters, and allies—all doing critical work in advocating for stronger protection of the Leuser Ecosystem.”
Farhan joins fellow 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees: Bhutanese cultural scholar and specialist Karma Phuntsho; Japanese filmmaker Miyazaki Hayao; Thai healthcare champions Rural Doctors Movement; and Vietnamese Champion for Agent Orange Victims Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership is awarded to outstanding young individuals who are 40 years old or below, and to organizations not more than 10 years old that are engaged in exceptionally worthy work. Farhan is the fifth Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Emergent Leadership working in Indonesia. Past recipients are Dita Indah Sari (2001), Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto (2012), Watchdoc Media Mandiri (2021), and Gary Bencheghib (2022).
The 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees will formally receive their respective medallions and certificates during the 66th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies on 16 November 2024 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Manila, Philippines. It will be livestreamed on the Foundation’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel.