By Shalomaigne Mapagu What does one do when he sees his beautiful culture fading? What does one do when the youth, the hope to preserve that culture, are poor, migrating abroad for jobs, and abandoning the life to which they're born? For former Bhutanese monk Karma Phuntsho, the answer is not to succumb to the dark sides of economic growth, industrialization, and globalization. The Buddhist scholar and thought leader thinks one should dig in and fight for the survival, enrichment, and advancement of Bhutan's cultural identity, heritage, and traditions. For his efforts to help jobless youths and empower them as guardians of Bhutan's culture through education and training, Phuntsho has been honored as one of the five Ramon Magsaysay Awardees in 2024.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation recognized his "invaluable and enduring contributions toward harmonizing the richness of his country’s past with the diverse predicaments and prospects of its present, inspiring young Bhutanese to be proud of their heritage and confident in their future. Beyond his immediate horizon, his work engages all peoples and cultures around the world facing the same challenges, reminding them to look back even as they move forward." Since 1958, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered the Nobel Prize of Asia, has been "given to persons and organizations who address issues of human development in Asia with courage and creativity, and in doing so have made contributions that have transformed their societies.