APCOM, together with regional Asia and the Pacific community partners; APN+, APTN and ILGA Asia, proudly unveil a much anticipated list of honourees for Community Hero, HIV Hero, and Transgender Hero categories for the up-coming HERO Awards 2025.
Standing for HIV, Equality and Rights, the HERO Awards is an annual event in Bangkok, which acknowledges outstanding HIV and LGBTQI+ advocates and allies from across Asia and the Pacific. The award evening is organized by APCOM together with our HERO Awards’s Official Host, philanthropist Mel Heifetz, and will be held on Friday, 7 November 2025, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.
How to join the event and receive your ticket?
Donate 2,000 THB to the APCOM, you will receive one ticket to attend the awards ceremony and the after-party, HERO Party BKK 2025 with one free drink ticket.
You can also donate 500 THB to only access to Party BKK 2025
To purchase your ticket, please add our official LINE account: https://line.me/R/ti/p/@520bhyeb
Alternatively, for more general donation options or inquiries, you can also reach out via email or phone.
- Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
- Phone: +66 (0) 2399 1145
HERO Awards has been supported by our 3 community partners since 2007. APN+, APTN and ILGA Asia have undergone a rigorous process in order to select the honorees of the 3 important categories; Community Hero, HIV Hero, and Transgender Hero.
APN+ have chosen three honourees for the HIV Hero category, which recognizes the work of a person with HIV who has improved the lives of people with HIV in any capacity in specific countries in Asia and the Pacific or across the region more broadly.
“At APN+, we believe that recognition is a powerful tool for change. The APCOM HERO Awards celebrate the courage and dedication of individuals and organizations working to improve the lives of people living with HIV across Asia and the Pacific. Their contributions inspire action and remind us that together, we can achieve a future where no one is left behind in the HIV response.”
Davi Ardiansyah (he/him)
Program & Communication Officer, APN+
The first three honorees to unveil, from the HIV HERO 2025 are Andrew Tan (Malaysia), Ishwor Shakya (Nepal), and Kairon Liu (Taiwan). They turn personal experience of living with HIV into powerful change. Andrew Tan, President of the Kuala Lumpur AIDS Support Services Society (KLASS), leads with empathy and innovation, expanding HIV treatment literacy and ensuring free, inclusive care for all. From Nepal, Ishwor Shakya, General Secretary of NAP+N, has over two decades of advocacy integrating harm reduction and HIV services for marginalized communities. Lastly, from Taiwan, Kairon Liu, a visual artist and curator transforms stories of illness, identity, and resilience into art that challenges stigma and fosters collective healing. Together, they show how creativity, compassion, and courage can transform personal struggle into lasting social impact, redefining what it means to live, lead, and heal with pride.
HIV Hero – supported by APN+
APTN have chosen three honourees for the Transgender Hero category, which recognizes the work of a transgender person who has improved the lives of transgender people in any capacity in specific countries in Asia and the Pacific or across the region more broadly.
“APTN values our continued partnership with the HERO Awards as an opportunity to highlight trans activists’ resilience and leadership across Asia and the Pacific. While visibility and recognition play an important role, this partnership also reminds us of the need to strengthen collective action and sustainable resourcing for our movements-especially as anti-gender movements and funding crises persist across our regions and globally. APTN remains committed to working with partners and allies to advance long-term safety, dignity, and justice for trans communities.”
Nhuun (Wannapong Yodmuang) (she/her)
Senior Human Rights and Advocacy Officer, APTN
Three extraordinary transgender leaders from South Asia, and the Pacific are our honorees: Abhina Aher (India), Divina loloma (Fiji), and Joya Sikder (Bangladesh). From performing stages to policy tables, they have turned personal struggle into powerful advocacy. Abhina, a CEO of TWEET Foundation, champions transgender inclusion through art, leadership, and policy reform, empowering thousands across India. Divina, a pastor, activist, and CEO of Jewels of the Nation, broke cultural and political barriers in Fiji, standing as the first trans woman to contest national elections and lead community-based development. In Bangladesh, Joya, founder of SOMPURNA, has spent nearly three decades advancing the rights and dignity of transgender and sex worker communities, helping achieve official recognition of “Hijra” as a third gender. Together, they redefine leadership through visibility, resilience, and the unwavering pursuit of equality.
Transgender Hero – supported by APTN
ILGA Asia have chosen three honourees for the Community Hero category, which recognizes the work of an LGBTI person who has improved the lives of LGBTQI people in any capacity in specific countries in Asia and the Pacific or across the region more broadly.
“The HERO Awards are more than a celebration — they are a powerful act of recognition and resistance. Together with APCOM, we celebrate those who refuse to be invisible: LGBTQI leaders, organisers, and communities across Asia and the Pacific who are breaking barriers, shifting culture, and building power from the ground up. Their courage fuels our movements. At ILGA Asia, we honour these trailblazers and recommit ourselves to a future where justice is not just a dream — but a lived, daily reality for us all.”
Henry Koh (they/them)
Executive Director, ILGA Asia
Last but not least, three visionary advocates and the honorees of Community Hero 2025 are Aivan Alvarez (Philippines), Dechen Wangdi (Bhutan), and Sahil Choudhary (India).
They are redefining leadership through compassion, innovation, and justice. From the Philippines, Aivan, founder of Wagayway Equality Inc., bridges government and community to advance LGBTQIA+ inclusion, HIV response, and youth leadership at local and international levels. In Bhutan, Dechen, member of Queer Voices of Bhutan, combines journalism, research, and storytelling to amplify queer narratives and mental health advocacy across borders. From India, Sahil, a lawyer and Program Director of The Naz Foundation’s LGBTQIA+ Centre pioneers integrated support models, legal reforms, and national policy advocacy for LGBTQIA+, sex worker, and HIV-affected communities. Together, they embody a new generation of human rights defenders rooted in empathy, driven by evidence, and united by the belief that equality must be lived, not just legislated.
Community Hero – supported by ILGA Asia
This milestone year will be extra special under the theme “Celebration of Equality,” honoring Thailand’s historic achievement of legalizing Marriage Equality in January 2025, a remarkable step toward equality and human rights across the region.
“The HERO Awards have always been more than an event, it’s a movement of love, recognition, and solidarity. This year, as we celebrate equality, we honor everyone who has helped make history. With the current political and funding challenges to our movement, it is so much more important that we stand visibly in solidarity with our partners,”
said Midnight Poonkasetwattana,
Executive Director of APCOM.
Apart from the three Honouree lists above, the remaining categories: Business Ally, Community Ally, Community Hero, Community Organisation, Health & Wellbeing, HIV Hero, Social Justice Hero, Young Achiever, and the Shivananda Khan Award for Extraordinary Achievement (named in honour of our late founder, Shivananda Khan OBE) will be presented during the awards evening on 7 November 2025.
Unfortunately, due to safety concerns, the LBQ Award will not be presented this year. However, APCOM remains deeply committed to recognising and celebrating the vital contributions of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer (LBQ) individuals who continue to advance equality and improve lives across Asia and the Pacific. The category will return in future editions of the HERO Awards.
After the awards ceremony, the celebration continues with the HERO Party BKK 2025 from 9:00 PM and going strong into the early hours, featuring a spectacular lineup of entertainment, including: The Voice Pride Thailand 2025 Concert showcasing powerhouse vocalists from across Thailand’s LGBTQI+ scene, Dazzling Drag Show featuring beloved performers bringing fierce energy and fabulous style, and live DJ to keep the night alive with music, unity, and joy. Join us for this high-energy afterparty where the community comes together to dance, celebrate, and honour equality in every beat. Follow APCOM’s social media channels for event updates.
APCOM warmly invites the public to be part of this unforgettable evening of celebration, as we continue to build a society in Thailand and across Asia and the Pacific where equity, dignity, and justice truly flourish.
Other ways to support APCOM
If you are interested in general donations to support APCOM’s work (beyond the event ticket), we also accept funds via PayPal and/or bank transfer to support #APCOMpassion Emergency Fund in response to the urgent crisis facing LGBTQI+ communities across Asia and the Pacific following the US Administration’s decision to freeze foreign aid.
You can find more information on APCOM website.
Don’t miss the chance to be of history and “Celebration of Equality” with us.
