Time Magazine has declared its ‘Person of the Year 2022’ 

Just like the Oxford English Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary revealing their respective words of the year 2022, US-based Time Magazine has announced its 2022 Person of the Year. It’s none other than the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who embodies the “spiring of Ukraine.”  

For those unaware, Time Magazine presents this award to a group, an idea, an object, or a person who has had the most influence on a global scale over the period of one year. No wonder Zelensky received this prestigious honour as he ‘galvanised the world’ (he was a successful wartime leader whose courage and determination were contagious), while his countrymen have shown utmost resistance in the face of Russian invasion. Volodymyr Zelensky has been serving as the Ukrainian President since 2019. He is the sixth person in this role. 

In fact, this award recognises the contributions of Ukrainians spread across the world, even the ones who “fought behind the scenes”, such as chef Ievgen Klopotenko who had served thousands of free meals to war-struck Ukrainians and medic Yulija Payevska, who spent months in the Russian prison. Time Magazine also recognises the coming together of the world in the face of war and divisiveness.  

The other finalists were protesters in Iran, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the US Supreme Court.  

Time Magazine has also acknowledged others, including British trauma surgeon David Nott who voluntarily entered war zones in Ukraine to treat wounded Ukrainians. He has been featured on the magazine’s cover alongside Women in Iran who were Time’s 2022 Heroes of the Year. On the other hand, popular K-pop band Blackpink received the honour of Time’s Entertainer of the Year. American baseball player Aaron Judge was declared as the Time’s Athlete of the Year, while Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh was named as the Time’s Icon of the Year. Interestingly, Elon Musk, who was 2021 Time’s Person of the Year made it to the list of finalists, this year too.  

The tradition of Times Magazine naming its Person of the Year began in 1927. The award was known as Man of the Year or the Woman of the Year, until 1999. Some notable past winners include, Adolf Hitler in 1938, Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2007, US President Barack Obama in 2012 and Ebola Fighters (medics who fought to contain Ebola outbreak in Africa) in 2014.