Learn about the heroes who have been honored for their work to create meaningful change through education.

2025 Jane Goodall

Pioneering primatologist Jane Goodall received the 2025 Global Educator Award posthumously. Longtime friend of MY HERO and Sponsor of the Women Transforming Media Award, Eva Haller, nominated her friend Goodall the week following her death. 

[When thinking] about Women Transforming Media, my mind immediately comes to Jane Goodall, a woman who transformed our way of looking at the animal kingdom. The relationship between people and animals. It is a very important moment to look at and be grateful to Jane Goodall, who passed away last week. To remember that she fearlessly entered the jungle and called to, in a sweet, gentle way to the chimpanzees, who slowly walked to her and ended up on her lap.

- Eva Haller

2024 MacGillivray-Freeman Films

MacGillivray-Freeman Films received the award in 2024 for their film Superhuman Body: World of Medical Marvels, directed by Greg and Shaun MacGillivray, as well as their extraordinary filmography and continued work to raise awareness of ocean degradation.

2023 Martin Smatana

Martin Smatana, a filmmaker and author from the Czech Republic was honored for his uplifting children’s book, A Year of Good News at the 19^th MY HERO International Film Festival. The book is a heartwarming collection of 52 stories—one for each week of the year—to make the reader feel a little bit better about the world we live in and is accompanied by unique illustrations made from recycled fabric. It is a perfect antidote to bad news stories as it is filled with happiness and positivity and celebrates the good things in life.

When I found out that I received [the award] I couldn't believe my eyes; I was absolutely amazed and shocked. It's a beautiful feeling to see that people like the work I do. Thanks again to the whole team behind the organization of this beautiful event and also to the jury who decided to appreciate my work. It means a lot to me.

- Martin Smatana

2022 Dr. Mandeep Rai

Dr. Mandeep Rai is a global authority on ideals and the author of The Values Compass. Dr. Rai has worked in over 150 countries, helping people to find their purpose in life, enhance leadership qualities and distil their ‘core values.’ Rai joined the virtual awards ceremony from a tree-planting retreat in the United Kingdom.

It’s been such an honour to receive the Global Educator award whilst planting trees in the south of England and learning how to support others in doing the same. I feel we are being transported around the world on this Zoom call and I am delighted you can all be with me at this retreat where my fellow tree planters represent the greatest cultural diversity (age, religion, ethnicity, social economic background and more) – this is apt for MY HERO and a true reflection of ‘The Values Compass’. A huge thank you to Jeanne Meyers, Eva Haller and the whole of the MY HERO team.

- Mandeep Rai

2021 Frances Moore Lappé and Anna Blythe Lappé

Frances Moore Lappé and her daughter, Anna Blythe Lappé founded the Small Planet Institute together, an international network for research and education about the root causes of hunger and poverty and the Small Planet Fund, which supports democratic movements worldwide. The mother and daughter team recently worked together on Diet for a Small Planet’s 50th Anniversary edition, where, building on the 1991 edition, they address issues of climate change, food justice, corporate farming, pollution, erosion, and pesticides, and revise the recipe section. The two—mother and daughter, now focus on the intersections between democracy, environment, food, and justice. 

My mother and I are in the business of inspiration and trying to help people see the incredible opportunities there are to have a food system that can nourish us, help heal the planet, promote biodiversity, and protect human rights. It’s a huge honor to be here; I feel I’m part of a multigenerational effort to understand the root causes of hunger and the power of sustainable food systems. We feel such a kinship with this festival and those of us that are trying to uplift these solution stories.

- Anna Blythe Lappé 

2020 Yasmin Sherif

Yasmin Sherif is a champion for human rights around the world, particularly in war-torn areas and conflict zones. She has practiced human rights law with the United Nations since 1998, published a book in 2014 called “The Case for Humanity: An Extraordinary Session,” and in 2016 Education Cannot Wait (ECW) a UN-hosted, global fund for education in emergencies, was launched at The World Humanitarian Summit, and Sherif was appointed to lead it. Sherif is passionate about education as a gateway to equipping boys and girls with a knowledge base that will serve them and their communities as they become adults.

2019 Melinda Gates

Melinda Gates is a champion for women. From her position as co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, she oversees projects designed to elevate women in all parts of the world, regardless of their religion, culture or socioeconomic status. She’s brought power to women in the poorest of nations — fighting the AIDS epidemic in India and providing access to birth control in Africa so women can control the size and timing of their family in regions rife with malnutrition. She has helped fund organizations working to educate communities about harmful traditions like female genital cutting and children who are forced to marry. Even in the United States, where children and women are protected from such immediate threats, Gates is working to build a supportive, diverse culture in the technology industry and has committed $1 billion to help women gain power and influence in high-impact industries and public office.

2018 Dr. James Doty

James Doty, M.D., FACS, FICS is a professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University and founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, a part of the Stanford School of Medicine and an affiliate of the Stanford Neuroscience Institute. He serves on the board of a number of non-profits and is the vice-chair of the Charter for Compassion, the former chair of the Dalai Lama Foundation and a senior advisor to the Council of the Parliament of the World's Religion. 

2017 Sal Khan

Sal Khan is the founder of Khan Academy, whose mission is to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Khan Academy is now reaching hundreds of millions of students around the world, and he believes it can be billions. Wherever they are, in or out of a classroom, they can now self-educate, if need be, to get where they dream of being. But Sal believes that teachers and students within the classic school structure can now supercharge their education using the tools the academy makes available online for free. 

Khan Academy’s mission is to provide a free world-class education for anyone, anywhere. […] That would’ve seemed delusional when Khan Academy was operating out of a walk-in closet seven years ago. But today, it seems a little less delusional and I think together we have a real chance of achieving it. I want to say a huge thank you to The MY HERO Project for the Global Educator Award.

- Sal Khan