The Fukuoka Prize was established by Fukuoka City, Japan, in 1990 as an award presented annually to honor the outstanding work of individuals, groups and organizations to preserve and promote the unique and diverse cultures of Asia. The Prize aims to foster and increase awareness of the value of Asian cultures, and to institute a broad framework for exchange and learning among the people of Asia.
This year marks the 27th anniversary of the inception of the Fukuoka Prize. Over the last 26 years, we have had the privilege of presenting the Prize to 102 leading figures in their respective fields. Prize laureates have included Prof. Muhammad Yunus, from Bangladesh, who would go on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize; Mr. Mo Yan, from China, subsequent winner of the Nobel Literature Prize and four distinguished individuals from the Philippines; Mr. Leandro V. Locsin (architecture), Ms. Marilou Diaz‐Abaya (film director), Prof. Reynaldo C. Ileto (historian) and Mr. Kidlat Tahimik (film maker, installation/ performance artist, culture observer).
The following three people have been selected as this year’s Prize laureates. Award citations are included in the attached documents
Grand Prize Mr. A.R.RAHMAN (India/Music）
Academic Prize Dr. Ambeth R. OCAMPO (Philippines/History)
Arts and Culture Prize Ms. Yasmeen LARI (Pakistan/Architecture)
In September this year, the laureates will be invited to Fukuoka for official events, including the Award Ceremony and Public Lectures.
Please see the attached documents for more information including the schedules of the events.
We appreciate your cooperation in the publicity of this announcement.
Hideaki MARUO
Secretary General
Fukuoka Prize Committee
・Information on the laureates is available at the Fukuoka Prize website.
Fukuoka Prize URL http://fukuoka‐prize.org/en/
・Photographs of the laureates can be downloaded from Library section of the Fukuoka Prize website, available for
publicity use.
Library URL http://fukuoka‐prize.org/en/library/
【2016 Official Functions】
◆Press Conference Joined by the Laureates
TBD Thu. Sep. 15, 2016 / Grand Hyatt Fukuoka
◆Award Ceremony
18:30‐20:00 Fri. Sep. 16, 2016 / Fukuoka Symphony Hall, ACROS Fukuoka 1F
◆Public Lecture
◎Lecturer: Mr. R.A. Rahman, Grand Prize Laureate
“From the Heart: The World of A.R. Rahman’s Music”
17:00‐19:00 Sat. Sep. 17, 2016 / Event Hall B2F, ACROS Fukuoka
◎Lecturer: Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo, Academic Prize Laureate
“Memory and Amnesia in Public History: Japan‐Philippines Relations Revisited.”
11:00‐13:00 Sun. Sep. 18, 2016 / Event Hall B2F, ACROS Fukuoka
◎Lecturer: Ms. Yasmeen Lari, Arts and Culture Prize Laureate
“Emerging from Catastrophe: Lari’s Barefoot Social Architecture”
14:00‐16:00 Sun. Sep. 18, 2016 / Event Hall B2F, ACROS Fukuoka
A. R. RAHMAN
India / Music (Born in 1967)
By his world-famous music, Mr. A. R. Rahman has opened up a new arena for film music, and has become a driving-force of this field to gain it a new recognition. His bold fusion of traditional South Asian, classical Western and popular contemporary American hip-hop and other music has created a number of unforgettable tunes with pleasing melodies and a powerful beat. They have become synonymous with the films for which he wrote them, and resonate in many hearts.
Ambeth R. OCAMPO
Philippines / History (Born in 1961)
Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo is an outstanding historian and an intellectual who has contributed to academic, cultural and social progress in the Philippines, through his positions as an academic and a newspaper columnist, and through his service in executive and advisory roles in historical and cultural administration. By providing a clear explanation of the global context within which Philippine history has developed, he has played an important role in promoting an open-minded nationalism and international exchange.
Yasmeen LARI
Pakistan / Architecture (Born in 1942)
Ms. Yasmeen Lari founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan and has been involved in the preservation and conservation of historical buildings, while also designing contemporary architectural projects as the country’s first woman architect. Since the Great Earthquake in 2005, she has also been energetically working for humanitarian aid. As a pioneering leader in Pakistan’s society and culture, her contribution to cultural heritage preservation and to the development of a disaster-resistant society has been enormous.
(from Secretariat of the Fukuoka Prize Committee)
