A FORMER field supervisor at Tasek Merimbun was listed as one of the 10 recipients of the 2017 Asean Biodiversity Heroes Award at a ceremony in Manila, Philippines on August 7. Eyad Samhan was awarded for significant contributions to research on fauna and flora in Brunei and in the region. The inaugural award forms part of the celebration of Asean’s Golden Jubilee.
The Asean Biodiversity Heroes is a programme designed to recognise outstanding individuals from the Asean region who have contributed significantly to biodiversity conservation and advocacy efforts in their respective countries.
Other recipients of the awards were Sophea Chhin, a government official from Cambodia; Alex Waisimon, a conservation worker from Indonesia; Nitsavanh Louangkhot Pravongviengkham, president of an import-export public company from Lao PDR; and the Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Professor Zakri Abdul Hamid.
Others who made the list included Dr Maung Maung Kyi, the chairman of a conservation association from Myanmar; Dr Angel C Alcala, a university professor from the Philippines; Professor Leo Tan Wee Hin, a professorial fellow and Director of the Faculty of Science at the National University of Singapore; Dr Nonn Panitvong, founder and webmaster of Thailand’s Biodiversity Conservation Group; and Professor Dang Huy Huynh, the Vice Chair of Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment.
Each Asean Biodiversity Hero received a US$5,000 cash prize, a special Heroes medal and trophy.
Apart from the Asean Biodiversity Heroes Award, the 10 also received the Hyundai Icon for Biodiversity Award, a special prize from HARI Foundation, Inc (HFI).
The inaugural Asean Biodiversity Heroes honours inspirational and valiant individuals who have helped curb biodiversity loss. Each hero, in their own different way, has made significant impact on biodiversity conservation in their communities, countries, and the region.
The Asean Biodiversity Heroes were selected by the Asean member states. The nominating agencies considered the relevance of the nominees’ contributions to biodiversity conservation, the impact of these contributions to biodiversity conservation efforts in their countries and the region, the replicability of their actions, and the recognition they received in communities where they belong.
The heroes from the 10 Asean member states will be known as the faces of biodiversity conservation in the Asean region. They will be invited to speak in forums, workshops, press conferences, and other events to share their experiences in conserving biodiversity to inspire others to do the same.
According to Roberto V Oliva, the Executive Director of Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the 10 Asean Biodiversity Heroes were honoured for dedicating their lives for the cause of biodiversity conservation.
“Under great sacrifice to themselves and their families, they have shown tenacity, perseverance and focus to protect our web of life. Our heroes have shown us clearly what love for self, what love for children and grandchildren and what love for one’s country is. It is embracing the cause of biodiversity conservation. Asean biodiversity, which is the region’s life support system, is still rich because of you,” he said.
The Asean Biodiversity Heroes is supported by the Asean Secretariat; the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs; the European Union through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in Asean (BCAMP) project; and HARI Foundation, Inc (HFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc (HARI).
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