Laureates of the Fukuoka Prize 2015 were announced today.
Convened at 16:00 today, the Fukuoka Prize Committee has given final approval to the laureates selected by the Prize Jury.
The laureates for the fiscal year 2015 are as follows :
Grand Prize 2015
Myanmar / Historian [ Chairman, Yangon Heritage Trust ]
Dr. Thant Myint-U is an exceptionally outstanding historian in contemporary Asia, writing accessible history of his ancestral homeland, Myanmar (Burma). To recreate the identity of the nation, he is committed to the preservation of historic buildings in Myanmar and to sustainable urban planning. Moreover, he has devoted himself to furthering peace in the world and in his own country. Dr. Thant Myint-U is a distinguished intellectual of 21st century Asia, narrating the voices of the people of Myanmar and connecting them with the wider international community.
Academic Prize 2015
India / Historian and Sociologist
Dr. Ramachandra Guha, a leading Indian historian, pioneered the new horizon of environmental history viewed from the general public’s viewpoints. His works present thorough explanations of the complex history of India, a country with a great diversity of languages, ethnicities, religions, and castes. At the same time, his books vividly illustrate the actual state of the Indian democratic system, shedding light on our current multi-dimensional and chaotic world.
Arts and Culture Prize 2015
Vietnam / Fashion Designer
Based on her deep insight of Vietnam’s original cultures, Ms. Minh Hanh has created contemporary fashions by fusing ao dai and time-honored embroideries and fabrics inherited among Vietnamese ethnic minorities. As a leading fashion designer in Vietnam, she has also organized many fashion shows in various parts of the world and developed young designers and the fashion market in Vietnam. Her great contribution to the development of fashion culture makes her worthy of the Arts and Culture Prize of the Fukuoka Prize.