- Indonesian conservationist Farwiza Farhan says she was moved to tears upon learning she’d been awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership, recognizing her work in protecting the Leuser Ecosystem.
- As the founder of the conservation NGO HAkA, she was instrumental in securing a $26 million court fine against a palm oil company and halting a dam project threatening the Leuser Ecosystem, a key biodiversity hotspot in northern Sumatra.
- The award also highlights her efforts to overcome gender-based discrimination and involve women in conservation activities in the most staunchly conservative province in Indonesia.
- Farwiza said she plans to continue her work by developing a conservation school in Leuser.
JAKARTA — Indonesian conservationist Farwiza Farhan says she couldn’t contain her tears when she learned that the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation had selected her as a recipient of its Emergent Leadership prize this year.
“My heart is so full, very touched, and could not believe what I’ve just heard. Am I dreaming?” Farwiza told Mongabay Indonesia in an interview on Aug. 29.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation on Aug. 31 announced five recipients from five countries of its annual prize: Farwiza from Indonesia, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong from Vietnam, Miyazaki Hayao from Japan, Karma Phuntsho from Bhutan, and the Rural Doctors Movement (RDM) from Thailand.
As a founder of the Forest, Nature and Environment of Aceh Foundation (HAkA), Farwiza has devoted most of her work to the conservation and restoration of Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem, a 2.6-million-hectare (6.4-million-acre) rainforest expanse in northern Sumatra where some of the world’s most critically endangered species have found their refuge.
She dedicated her latest award, dubbed Asia’s Nobel Prize, to the people who have worked alongside her to protect and save Leuser from the imminent threats of monoculture expansion, road development and hydroelectric dam construction.
“I’m only a small part of this massive movement,” Farwiza said. “This isn’t just my award, but it’s a recognition for everyone in the field, friends at the grassroots level, and the coalitions.”
The Magsaysay Foundation has honored Farwiza for her deep insight into the crucial link between nature and humanity, her dedication to social justice and responsible citizenship through her work with forest communities, and her efforts to raise awareness about the urgent need to protect the vital natural resources of her country and Asia, which are rich yet endangered.
The Leuser Ecosystem faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation driven by palm oil expansion, a road upgrade project, and proposed hydroelectric dams, which endanger critical habitats for critically endangered species like Sumatran tigers and rhinos. Despite local resistance, industrial exploitation continues to degrade this vital biodiversity hotspot.
HAkA played a key role in securing a $26 million court fine against a palm oil company responsible for burning forests in Leuser and halting a dam project that threatened the habitat of Sumatran elephants. The fines were imposed by the government to rehabilitate the damaged areas.
Successes like these by HAkA have earned Farwiza and her team prestigious awards such as the 2016 Whitley Award, the 2021 Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award, and also a spot in TIME Magazine’s list of 100 Next in 2022. Yet in her native Indonesia, particularly the staunchly conservative province of Aceh, Farwiza said she still faces gender-based discrimination as a woman conservationist.
She recalled a meeting with local officials about the environmental impact assessments for a project that had cleared thousands of hectares of forest, yet her counterparts “instead were asking where my hijab was, why my hair was exposed. That annoyed me,” Farwiza said.
In her struggle for gender equity, Farwiza has prioritized HAkA’s programs for and with women, by giving them paralegal and citizen-journalism training, having them engaged in micro-entrepreneurship, and organizing them into women-led ranger groups that patrol forest areas to monitor for poaching and illegal logging.
“Women play an important role in making [forest conservation] more inclusive,” she said.
Farwiza said she aims to continue fighting for fundamental and lasting benefits for Aceh’s environment and its people through HAkA, and for its projects in the Leuser Ecosystem to spawn the next generations of environmental champions.
“We hope to build a conservation school in Leuser,” she said. “We’re still doing the research and looking for fundraising opportunities and so on.”
The Magsaysay Foundation also recognized Phuntsho, a former monk and Bhutanese scholar, for his efforts in harmonizing his country’s rich heritage with its current challenges and opportunities, inspiring the country’s youth to take pride in their legacy and face the future with confidence.
A founder of Studio Ghibli, Japan’s Miyazaki Hayao was honored for his lifelong dedication to the art of animation, particularly for illuminating the human condition and inspiring children with his creative imagination. He has been recognized as a torchbearer of imagination, passing on his passion and spirit to future generations.
The Rural Doctors Movement in Thailand received the award for their advocacy for the rural poor, ensuring they are not left behind as the nation progresses economically. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong was acknowledged for her commitment to public service and her mission to seek justice for victims of the powerful defoliant dioxin Agent Orange, helping them in every possible way.
Cheche L. Lazaro, chair of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, said this year’s awardees dared to envision a better world and had dedicated their lives to turning that vision into reality.
“By addressing critical social challenges and pioneering innovative solutions in their communities, they have shown us that creating positive change is not just a possibility but a shared responsibility,” Lazaro said.
First given in 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay Award is recognized as Asia’s most prestigious civic prize and highest honor. Named after the late Filipino leader, the award celebrates exceptional spirit and transformative leadership. Each year, it’s bestowed upon individuals and organizations across Asia who demonstrate the same selfless service and impactful leadership that reflect the values and legacy of Ramon Magsaysay.
“For over six decades, 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 foundation.
This story was reported by Mongabay’s Indonesia team and first published here on our Indonesian site on Aug. 31, 2024.
Basten Gokkon, senior staff writer for Indonesia at Mongabay, contributed to this reporting. Find him on 𝕏 @bgokkon.
See related:
Deforestation wanes in Indonesia’s Aceh and Leuser Ecosystem, but threats remain, NGO says
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