The 1969 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts

RESPONSE of Mitoji Nishimoto

It is with utmost pleasure that I accept this outstanding and singular honor, the Ramon Magsaysay Award. Established in honor of your late President's spirit of humbleness and selfless service to mankind, I only hope that I can accept it with the same spirit.

My receiving this Award symbolizes not just what I have done, but is equally symbolic of what radio and television have done and are doing for education.

The late President Magsaysay believed in the dignity and importance of people as individuals. He strived to insure that the individual does not suffer in ignorance. Education is one method of insuring such.

Unfortunately, it has been shown in many countries throughout the world that traditional educational methods are not capable of raising a nation out of ignorance quickly. And time is even more limited in today's world of technology and rising expectations.

Since their invention, many educators have dreamed of the value of radio and television in education. But the realization of their dreams has involved traveling a long and tortuous path. It has been only during the past decade that the true value of radio and television in education has come to be recognized. We are now in the Space Age. Apollo 11 was an excellent example of the effective use of television during the moon landing. Without television this wonderful feat might not have been possible at all. So effective a media as this muse be used in education.

I accept this Award, not only for myself, but for all the others who have also striven to develop the use of radio and television in education. Please accept my humble thanks for allowing me to represent them.