People around the world are always working hard to make the planet a better place and it is essential that their efforts are recognized. One way to do this is through a sidney prize, which can be awarded for various activities such as writing or science. These awards serve to honor those who are making an impactful difference while also inspiring others to pursue their dreams. There are many different types of sidney prizes available, with each having their own specific criteria for judging.
A recent example of a sidney prize is the Neilma Sydney prize for literature, which was established in 2009 and given out each month to writers who attempt to further society-related understanding through their work. Judges for this prize come from a variety of fields, including daily and periodical press and photojournalism. The winner is announced each month on Overland magazine’s website, as well as on the shortlisted works.
Other prestigious sidney prizes include the Physics Andrew Gemant Prize, which honors writers and journalists who address social issues through their writing. This award was named in honor of a distinguished physicist who worked to connect art, the media, and literature with his work. Other winners have included Amanda Hess for her piece on online sexism and David Brooks and William Zinser for their piece about student hypersensitivity preventing students from adapting to real-life situations.
In 2023, a former Sidney student won the Andrew Gemant Prize for his book on royalist ideas in late-seventeenth century Scotland. Dr Clare Jackson studied history as an undergraduate and returned to Sidney to complete a Junior Research Fellowship before moving to Trinity Hall where she is Senior Tutor and Walter Grant Scott Fellow, College Associate Professor and Director of Studies in History. She has written numerous books on the Scottish Enlightenment and has won several prestigious prizes for her historical writing.
The 2022 Neilma Sidney Prize has been awarded to Yeena Kirkbright for her essay ‘Camperdown Grief Junk’. We would like to congratulate her and all of the other shortlisted authors who took part in the competition. The judges of the prize are incredibly grateful to all who submitted their entries and hope they will continue to be inspired to share their work with a wider audience.
Each year, the Sydney Peace Foundation honours a nominee who promotes “peace with justice, human rights and non-violence”. Previous recipients have included Julian Burnside, Patrisse Cullors, Mary Robinson, Noam Chomsky and the Black Lives Matter Global Network. The 2024 nominee will be a leader who is active in his or her community and demonstrates the importance of peace with justice and human rights. The prize will be awarded in partnership with the City of Sydney and a host organisation. It will be accompanied by an award ceremony in Sydney. Nominations close on 31 October 2022. Please read the guidelines carefully before submitting an application. The guidelines may include requirements such as a certain age or academic achievement.
