The Sidney Prize

The Sydney Prize is an award that can be bestowed upon individuals for various purposes, ranging from writing and humanitarian efforts, business initiatives and scientific investigations – making the Sydney prize an extremely prestigious award for those lucky enough to receive it. The Sydney Peace Prize is an award granted annually by Sydney, Australia to individuals who promote peace through justice, human rights and nonviolence. Past recipients have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson and Professor Noam Chomsky; nominees come from an open pool who have made significant contributions to humanity; this year the prize went to Patrise Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi of Black Lives Matter in America. Sydney is an Australian city renowned for its activism, arts and culture scene as well as being a major center for science research. Sydney has long been recognized for its diverse population and many acclaimed universities that draw international students; winning several awards including the World Cities Summit Award. Sydney is also recognized as a global leader in sustainable development and has won multiple sustainability prizes; being named as one of the best places in the world to live is also testament to this success. Professor Sidney Cox had an enormous influence on students both inside and outside of his classroom. To honor his legacy, students created the Sidney Prize as a way of honoring his high standards for writing in undergraduate works. Sophia Jactel from Art History won this year’s prize with her paper entitled ‘Domesticity and Diversions: Josef Israels’ Smoker as a Symbol of Peasant Culture and Home in Nineteenth-Century Holland”. There are various awards open to aspiring writers besides the Sydney Prize; among these is the Hillman Prize. Established in 1950 in memory of Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America – an early precursor of SEIU – its foundation has worked tirelessly over time to highlight critical issues for working people while supporting those working to advance humanity. Overland Magazine announced this week its 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize Winner and Runners-Up for 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize, Annie Zhang of unceded Wangal land was chosen as winner with her story “Who Rattles the Night?,” wherein a couple learns how to live alongside ghosts in their new home. Annie Zhang will see their story published in Overland’s autumn issue while runners-up stories will appear online. Literary awards aren’t the only awards available – there are others given out for humanitarian, business or scientific achievements as well. Some such prizes include Clay Sydney Ceramic prize which recognizes those making positive impacts to our world.