The 1975 Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding

I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation for electing me as the 1975 Awardee for International Understanding. Never in all my life, did I imagine that such a signal honor would be conferred upon me and I am considerably overwhelmed by the glory of it all. Since the announcement of the Award was made, I have been deluged with congratulatory cables, telephone calls and letters from people of all walks of life from all over Korea—from Cardinal Kim of Seoul, from high government officials and from farmers. I have lost count of all the newspaper, magazine, radio and television reporters who made the long journey to our farm area on Cheju Island. What I found truly astonishing and delightfully surprising was the genuine pleasure manifested by all, in my receiving this Award despite the fact that the Koreans have suspected for some time that I am not a Korean but an Irishman. It has often been said that Korea is the Ireland of the East and that Ireland is the Korea of the West. The people of both countries work very hard, if the occasion demands it. They both put up a hard fight for their rights. They are both of generally friendly disposition, do a great deal of singing and consume considerable quantities of alcoholic beverages—which is probably why they do a great deal of singing. Whether or not it is because of these similarities between the Koreans and the Irish, I do not know, but the genuine pleasure shown by them on this occasion is indicative of the extremely high regard they have for the prestigious Magsaysay Award.

I am, personally, truly gratified at receiving this Award for International Understanding. I have the honor of being a member of the Missionary Society known as the Columban Fathers. When we join the Columban Fathers in order to live as priests in the various countries of Asia, we do not abandon the citizenship into which we have been born. Rather we transcend this native citizenship and break down the boundaries of narrow nationalism to become citizens of the world. It is the avowed aim of every Columban Father to help build up and unite all the members of the human family, regardless of the superficial differences which divide them.

Since I became involved in working directly for the farmers of Korea, I have become aware of the existence of a vast reservoir of good will amongst government officials, businessmen and young professional experts and students of many different countries. Large numbers of people are sincerely concerned about the worsening situation of the world's poor. They are casting about for ways and means to break through the spiral of poverty which holds so many millions of people in its grasp. The trouble is that the number of people in the world who are prepared to take the action necessary to break this spiral of poverty, is pathetically small. The problem will not be solved until the dignity of the human person is put at the very center of the scheme of things.

In President Ramon Magsaysay, the Republic of the Philippines has given to Asia and to the world a man who understood this fundamental principle clearly and who put it into practice. It is increasingly urgent that more and more people follow his way. What we need is a crusade, a great movement among those who have, to uplift those who have not. The economists and sociologists have long since indicated what basically needs to be done. But the narrow-minded selfishness must first be discarded. The great spirit of Ramon Magsaysay is an inspiration to us all to step out manfully upon the same high road trod by him.

In repeating my deepest gratitude for the signal honor on me here today, I pledge my utmost efforts to work for the betterment of the socioeconomic status of Korean farmers.