Runa Khan, Founder of Friendship, receives 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award

Runa Khan, founder of Friendship, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award for her work with marginalised communities in Bangladesh.

The award recognises Khan’s more than two decades of work in developing and leading “holistic and locally led development solutions” aimed at improving opportunities and living conditions for marginalised communities, according to a press release issued on Monday.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1958 in memory of former Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay, is widely regarded as Asia’s highest honour for public service and leadership. It recognises individuals and organisations for what the foundation describes as “greatness of spirit” and “transformative leadership in Asia”.

Over the past 68 years, the award has been given to 328 individuals and 28 organisations from 24 countries.

Khan is the 14th Bangladeshi recipient of the award. Previous recipients from Bangladesh include Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen, and Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of Brac.

Other notable recipients include Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama and Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.

The formal award ceremony will be held in Manila, Philippines, on 15 November.

Reacting to the award, Khan said she was accepting it on behalf of the communities Friendship works with and the organisation’s staff.

“There is no leader who walks alone,” she said, adding that the recognition was a responsibility and thanking those who had supported her work over the past 25 years.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, in its citation, said Khan was being recognised for “her profound empathy for the poorest of the poor in her country” and for her “courage, vision, and tenacity” in building and leading Friendship.