Ms. Phan Thi Kim Phuc receives the Dresden Peace Prize (Photo: AP)

The 55-year-old woman was honoured for her support of UNESCO and children wounded in war, and for speaking out against violence and hatred.

Phuc set up a fund in 2002, which has made significant contributions to the construction of schools, orphanages, and healthcare facilities worldwide. A library for children in her hometown in Tay Ninh province is Phuc’s latest project.

Phuc was nine years old in 1972 when napalm bombs ravaged her village. The image of her running down the road in tears, naked and severely burned, was captured by Vietnamese-American Associated Press photographer Nick Ut, who won a Pulitzer Prize for the photo one year later.

Phuc now lives in Canada with her husband and two sons.