Mae Tao Clinic awarded 13th Okinawa Peace Prize for decades of service to Myanmar refugees

The Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand, has become the first non-Japanese recipient of the biennial Okinawa Peace Prize.

Founded by Dr. Cynthia Maung in 1989 following Myanmar’s ‘8888 Uprising,’ the clinic provides essential healthcare, education, and protection services to internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and migrant workers along the Thai–Myanmar border.

Established in December 2001 by Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture, the Okinawa Peace Prize is awarded every two years to organizations or individuals who contribute significantly to peace-building across the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr. Cynthia Maung will accept the 10 million Japanese Yen ($62,000 USD) award at an official ceremony in Naha, Japan, on Oct. 19.