Main photo: From L; Phra Phrompacharayanmuni (Ajahn Jayasaro) and Somtow Sucharitku
A revered British-Thai Buddhist monk, a world-renowned composer and Thailand’s leading cultural organization have been named recipients of this year’s Public Diplomacy Award, Thailand Foundation announced on Thursday.
The foundation said in a statement that Phra Phrompacharayanmuni (Ajahn Jayasaro) is recognized as one of the most revered Buddhist monks “who has played a significant and rigorous role in making the essence of Thai Theravada Buddhism known to the world, while promoting an international appreciation of Thai identity, culture, and spiritual values.”
File photo: Phra Phrompacharayanmuni (Ajahn Jayasaro)
Also receiving the award is Thailand’s national artist Somtow Sucharitkul.
“Somtow is a world-renowned composer, and writer, whose works have been globally admired and helped promote Thai characteristics for decades,” the statement said.
File photo : Somtow Sucharitku
The other recipient of the award is The Siam Society which it said is one of Thailand’s leading cultural organizations “whose compendium of works on Thai art, culture, archaeology, and history has been serving as a bridge to foster friendships between Thai people and various cultures for over 120 years.”
The three were chosen from a list of nominees by a committee. The foundation said an award ceremony will be held in December 2024 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Public Diplomacy Award was established by the Foreign Ministry and Thailand Foundation to honor individuals, groups, or organizations who have contributed significant works in promoting goodwill and friendship between Thailand and the rest of the world, on a people-to-people level.
Thailand Foundation is under the Foreign Ministry whose mission is to conduct Thailand’s public diplomacy to promote better understanding about Thailand and Thai people through Thai studies and Thai culture.
Thailand’s talented golf siblings Moriya and Ariya Jutanugarn were dual recipients of the award last year.
