The Sir Mervyn Brown Award
The annual Sir Mervyn Brown Award for outstanding contributions to British-Malagasy friendship was launched by the British Embassy of Antananarivo in collaboration with the Anglo-Malagasy Society in 2024.

The award commemorates Sir Mervyn Brown, who made a major contribution to the friendship between the UK and Madagascar. He was twice British Ambassador to Madagascar, became an authority on Malagasy history (penning two respected books on the subject), and was a key member of the Anglo-Malagasy Society's committee for many decades, including as its President until his death in 2023 at the age of 100.

The award aims to recognise those who have made important contributions to supporting cooperation and partnership between the two countries and their peoples. The contribution can be in any field – such as academia, business, culture, development, education, environment, humanitarian or others – and may be over many years, but continuing to the present. The nominee can be an individual or an institution, and can be of any nationality. Self-nominations are permitted.

If you know of someone who you think should be considered for this award, please nominate them by emailing [email protected]. The winner will be decided each year by a committee led by the British Ambassador and will receive a physical award and certificate at the King’s Birthday Party in Antananarivo in June.

When submitting a nomination, you should provide your name and contact details; the name, position and contact details of the person (or institution) you are nominating; an explanation of the contribution they have made to British-Malagasy friendship; and why you think they are deserving of this award (no more than 300 words, in English or French).
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Sir Mervyn Brown (1923–2023)

Award winners

2025 - Ony Rakotoarivelo (joint winner)
Ony has an enormous fondness for the UK, a country which she first travelled to over 26 years ago, and continues to visit whenever she can. She has fostered close relationships with countless British individuals and organisations, who have gone on to donate to, sponsor through, or volunteer for organisations supporting the education and welfare of impoverished Malagasy children thanks to Ony's encouragement. Besides her unceasing dedication to children's charity work, she also helps tourists and has been a regular contributor to the Bradt Madagascar guidebook for decades.
2025 - Theresa Haine (joint winner)
Since first visiting the island in 1967 on a teaching assignment, Theresa has dedicated her life to Madagascar, especially through the Welsh organisation Money for Madagascar as a volunteer and now one of the first trustees. She was the charity's director for 16 years, central to everything from communications to fundraising, enabling work with and for Malagasy people, helping them lift themselves from poverty and protect and expand the vibrant eco-system in which they live and on which we all rely. She remains a very active trustee.
2024 - Christina Dodwell
Christina Dodwell has worked to promote friendship and education in Madagascar for nearly 40 years. She founded The Dodwell Trust, a radio drama programme which broadcast for over a decade throughout Madagascar covering issues around women and children’s health. Christina also ran a volunteer programme for British students to travel and teach in remote communities, in addition to continuing to fund projects to help with both conservation and education.