Jet Li is Asian of the Year
by Maria J.Dass
PETALING JAYA (Jan 4, 2009): Action actor Jet Li, with a string of box office hits like The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and The Forbidden Kingdom, was named Reader's Digest Asian of the Year for his dedication towards helping disaster-hit victims and the less fortunate.
Li declined an award ceremony in his honour but plans to donate the US$5,000 (RM18,000) award money to charity.
The actor was noted mainly for his efforts in mobilising aid to people in disaster zones via the Red Cross Jet Li One Foundation which he founded.
The foundation took two years to set up after much research and study went into setting up an organisation that could provide quick and relevant aid to victims in disaster areas.
Li spoke with academics around the world and spent time at philanthropic organisations, such as the Rockefeller Foundation, to learn what makes a successful non-governmental organisation (NGO).
It all started when Li was caught up in the real life horror of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Maldives where he was on holiday with his wife Nina, two young daughters and nanny.
Li and his family survived the disaster but it served as an important wake-up call. A few days after the incident, Li donated 500,000 yuan (RM255,755) to victims of the tsunami and used another 500,000 yuan to start the foundation – the Red Cross Jet Li One Foundation launched in China in April 2007.
Though it operates independently of the Red Cross, the relationship with the organisation allows it to operate public fund-raising activities in China and get a quick, accurate picture of the extent of unfolding disasters.
The foundation also built strong relationships with partners like airlines and has thus been able to react very quickly, when a natural disaster occurs.
The foundation has raised nearly US$16 million (RM47.6 million) in just over 18 months and has helped a number of disaster relief efforts, including the Yunnan Puer earthquake and the snowstorms that paralysed much of southern China in early 2008.
“I think too often something happens, people die, you see the photos and then you start donating. But by the time the money reaches the people, it’s already quite a few days after the disaster and you’re not even sure it’s reaching them,” said Li.
“What I want is to be prepared, have a little money aside so that when something happens, we’re ready to move in quickly.”
Li’s story is published in all the Asian editions of Reader's Digest January 2009 magazine to inspire millions of readers across Asia. The podcast interview with Jet Li is available on
www.rdasia.com.
The <Reader's Digest Asian of the Year is selected by the editors of Reader’s Digest magazines in Asia as the person who best embodies the contemporary expression of Asia’s values and traditions.
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