GC Hero Farwiza Farhan Receives the 50th Anniversary Rolex Award

Written By Joshua Asel

The awards program was set up in 1976 by André J. Heiniger, then Chief Executive Officer of Rolex, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first waterproof wristwatch produced by Rolex, the Oyster. Intended to be a once-only celebration, the Awards drew so much international interest that Rolex transformed them into an ongoing program that has, in the years since, supported 165 Laureates whose endeavors have made a significant contribution worldwide to improving life and protecting our planet.

In a year resplendent with symbolism and substance, Rolex marks the 50th anniversary of its pioneering Awards program by announcing five extraordinary women as the 2026 Laureates. Hailing from Indonesia, Nigeria, Peru, China, and the United States, they embody a truly global sisterhood of science, conservation, and courageous action. If ever there were proof that horology could harmonize with humanity, this is it.

Farwiza Farhan: Defending Sumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem

The Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra is the last place on earth where elephants, tigers, orangutans, and rhinoceroses coexist in the wild. Yet deforestation and development loom ominously. Forest conservationist Farwiza Farhan has mobilized grassroots communities and led campaigns to defend this irreplaceable landscape. Her Award will strengthen women-led monitoring networks and empower local voices in environmental decision-making. In a world often governed from distant boardrooms, Farhan reminds us that stewardship begins at home.

Fifty Years of Tangible Change

Since its inception, the Rolex Awards have supported 165 Laureates across more than 67 countries. The cumulative impact is not a matter of abstract virtue but measurable transformation. More than 50 million trees have been planted. A remarkable 137 endangered species and 32 major ecosystems have been protected, including 57,600 square kilometers of the Amazon rainforest. Hundreds of new species have been discovered. Twenty-five arduous expeditions have been completed. Fifty innovative technologies have been developed. Millions of lives have been improved.

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Protection of Proposed Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary, Sumatra
Protection of Proposed Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary, Sumatra

The FKL Wildlife Protection Teams have made significant progress in safeguarding the biodiversity of the Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary (BTMS) and the Suaq region from January to November 2024. Eight Wildlife Protection Teams conducted 88 patrol missions, covering 5,807 km, documenting vital wildlife presence through sightings, including 1,896 orangutans, 1,182 Malayan bears, 844 Sumatran tigers, and 221 Sumatran elephants. These efforts also dismantled 15 snares and documented 35 poaching cases.

Saving Sumatran Rhinos, Tigers, Elephants, and Orangutans: The 2024-25 Leuser National Park Impact Report
Saving Sumatran Rhinos, Tigers, Elephants, and Orangutans: The 2024-25 Leuser National Park Impact Report

The Leuser Ecosystem of Aceh, Indonesia, is one of Global Conservation’s most important National Park and Community Protection programs. Focused on the Bengkung Trumon Megafauna Sanctuary (BTMS), we are protecting over 1 million hectares of pristine tropical rainforests – the Last Place on Earth where tigers, rhinos, elephants, and orangutans coexist in the wild.

New Camera Traps Snap Nearly Three Times More Images of Endangered Sumatran Tigers than Before
New Camera Traps Snap Nearly Three Times More Images of Endangered Sumatran Tigers than Before

In many ways, the Leuser ecosystem is an ideal habitat for Sumatran tigers. Three times the size of Yellowstone National Park, it is the largest contiguous tiger habitat remaining in Sumatra. It’s made up of lowland, hill, and montane forests, of which 44% are classified as intact forest landscape. “It’s also more thoroughly patrolled by rangers than nearly any other place on the island,” Figel said.

The GC 2024-2025 Impact Report Now Available
The GC 2024-2025 Impact Report Now Available

Packed with highlights of conservation successes from around the world at our project sites, this report features the effectiveness that the Global Park Defense and Community Engagement programs have for protecting culturally rich and highly biodiverse natural ecosystems in the most threatened parts of our world—land or sea.

The Komodo Survival Program Transforms their Integrated Ranger Station
The Komodo Survival Program Transforms their Integrated Ranger Station

GC commits to a new 3-Year Global Park Defense Program and also highlights the rangers' success and goals for the future.

Urgent Appeal: Help Us Stop Turtle Poaching in Sigending Before It's Too Late
Urgent Appeal: Help Us Stop Turtle Poaching in Sigending Before It's Too Late

Recently, ten green turtles were brutally slaughtered—caught on video in direct violation of Indonesian Conservation Law.

GC Project Director for the Derawan Archipelago Publishes “Empty Promises Won’t Save Marine Ecosystems”
GC Project Director for the Derawan Archipelago Publishes “Empty Promises Won’t Save Marine Ecosystems”

Dadang Mujiono, GC Project Director, writes for the publication Public Syndicate to call out the lack of support for protecting critical marine ecosystems, with the main focus being on Indonesia. Indonesia, despite having one of the most beautiful and critical oceanic ecosystems on Earth containing vast stretches of intact coral reefs, lacks overall protection.

The First Annual GC Report for the Derawan Archipelago
The First Annual GC Report for the Derawan Archipelago

The Derawan Archipelago, a collection of tropical islands with vibrant coral reefs, boasts a stunning underwater landscape. It ranks among the most biologically diverse regions in Indonesia and serves as a critical protein source for communities across the Sulawesi Sea, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Despite its natural beauty and ecological importance, the Derawan Archipelago faces significant challenges in both the fishing and tourism sectors.

GC Protection of Leuser Ecosystem 2023-24
GC Protection of Leuser Ecosystem 2023-24

This thrilling action-adventure documentary is currently in production on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Delving deep into the extraordinary Leuser Ecosystem—the last place on earth where orangutans, rhinos, tigers, and elephants still roam freely in the wild—an undercover film team chronicles the plights of the heroes fighting to save this biodiversity hotspot from rampant corruption and destruction. A unique band of local characters—all with their own drives, passions, and obsessions—fights to protect this ancient land, giving us hope that Leuser can be saved.

Joshua Asel
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