NEW YORK, November 1, 2017 — Members of the Asia Game Changers Class of 2017 discuss the inspiration behind their work at Asia Society New York. Awardees participating in the discussion include actor Dev Patel, Sesame Workshop Executive Vice President Sherrie Westin, Cambodian environmentalist Leng Ouch, musical virtuoso Wu Tong, Afghan rapper Sonita Alizadeh, and Mongolian eagle huntress Aisholpan Nurgaiv. The discussion was moderated by Asia Society Executive Vice President Tom Nagorski. (1 hr. 3 min.)

It’s one of the highlights of the Asia Society calendar: The day we honor the annual class of Asia Game Changers — a remarkable group of leaders who are transforming Asia, and the world. Join us for a special opportunity — before the awards are actually given — to meet some of the remarkable members of the “Class of 2017”: The great actor Dev Patel, Cambodia’s environmental champion Leng Ouch, the great musical virtuoso Wu Tong, a young rapper from Afghanistan, and a remarkable glass-ceiling-smashing young girl from Mongolia. Join us as we meet the Asia Game Changers, in an afternoon of fun and inspiration.

Sonita Alizadeh is an Afghan rapper and passionate advocate for ending child marriage.

Aisholpan Nurgaiv is a Mongolian girl who has shattered gender barriers — and was the subject of the award-winning film The Eagle Huntress.

Leng Ouch has risked his life — on multiple occasions — to help safeguard the environment in his native Cambodia.

Dev Patel is an award-winning actor who has leveraged his celebrity to help India’s poor.

Wu Tong is a virtuoso Chinese musician, composer, and builder of cultural bridges around the world.

Sherrie Westin is the Executive Vice President of Global Impact and Philanthropy for Sesame Workshop, an organization that has proven to be an educational television pioneer, particularly for the children of different regions in Asia.
 

The Asia Game Changer Awards, launched by the Asia Society in 2014, are designed to fill a vital gap, identifying and honoring true leaders who are making a positive contribution to the future of Asia. These awards are bestowed annually to individuals, organizations, and movements that have inspired, enlightened, and shown true leadership in areas that reflect Asia Society’s core pillars of policy and business, arts and culture, and education.