Maldivian environmental advocate and ocean conservationist Shaahina Ali has been awarded the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award, becoming the first individual from the Maldives to receive Asia’s premier prize and highest honor.

Shaahina is being recognized for her unwavering commitment to protecting the Maldives’ marine ecosystem with passion, vision, and inclusivity—ensuring that her work inspires future generations to find local solutions to global challenges.

As the Executive Director of Parley Maldives, she has led pioneering efforts to combat plastic pollution and safeguard fragile marine environments, bringing together schools, local communities, and the tourism sector in collective action to protect the oceans that sustain Maldivian life.

A trailblazer in her field, Shaahina was also the first female professional diver in the Maldives. Her early career helped establish national safety and training standards in diving, opening doors for more Maldivians—especially women—to engage in marine conservation.

Shaahina and other 2025 awardees, including Educate Girls from India and Fr. Flaviano Antonio Villanueva from the Philippines, were formally honored at the 67th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Ceremony held on Friday in Manila, Philippines.