Historian Ambeth Ocampo receives prestigious Fukuoka Prize

Historian Ambeth Ocampo has been chosen to receive Japan's Fukuoka Academic Prize 2016.

The conferment was announced on Fukuoka Prize’s website on Monday.

Ocampo was feted for his success in providing readers with a clear insight into the actual thoughts and actions of the heroes and other notable figures in history. 

“For his achievement in reclaiming history as the property of ordinary citizens, for his contribution to promote an open-minded nationalism and global sensibility in the Philippines, and for his great service to international cultural exchange, Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo is a truly worthy recipient of the Academic Prize of the Fukuoka Prize,” the citation said.

Born in Manila in 1961, Ocampo studied at De La Salle University where he received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Philippine Studies before attending the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London University. He began to write regular columns and essays on history and culture in newspapers and magazines in 1985. He  has published more than 20 books to date.

He served as chairman of the National Historical Institute and chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines for a year. He has also served as chairman of the Department of History of Ateneo de Manila University. 

For the Fukuoka Academic Prize, Ocampo will receive ¥3,000,000 or about P1.26 million.

Other laureates are Indian musician A. R. Rahman, who will be conferred the Grand Prize, and Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari, who will be given the Arts and Culture Prize.

The three laureates will give a public lecture on September 17 to 18 at ACROS Fukuoka.

Established in 1990, the Fukuoka Prize is an award given by the Fukuoka City and the the Fukuoka City International Foundation “to honor outstanding achievements by individuals or groups/organizations in preserving and creating the unique and diverse cultures of Asia.” —Trisha Macas/JST, GMA News