A prize is an award given in recognition of a particular achievement or effort. Several notable prizes exist in the world, including science, literature, music and sport. Some are named after famous persons, others for important events, while others are for outstanding accomplishments in a specific field. The Sydney Peace Prize is one of these awards that is given to individuals in order to promote the goals of peace with justice. It carries a cash prize along with other in-kind support to foster peace with the help of the community.
The Sidney Prize for History of Science and Technology is awarded annually by the Society for the History of Science and Technology (SHOT). The prize honors books that advance the study of the history of science and technology, while also promoting the work to non-specialists. The winner is selected by a committee of SHOT members, and receives a cash prize and plaque.
In this year’s competition, judges Laura Elvery, Paige Clark and Michael Winkler selected the shortlist from over 400 submissions. This year’s theme was ‘travel’, and entries were invited to explore the notion in imaginative, creative and literary ways. The winners were Annie Zhang for her story ‘Who Rattles the Night?’, which was inspired by her travels to rural New South Wales on unceded Wangal land. She was chosen from a shortlist of eight writers, with runners-up Madeleine Rebbechi and Sheila Ngoc Pham.
Established in 1939, this prize was designed to support new playwrights. The name of the prize was changed to the Sydney Howard Memorial Award in 1999. It was presented from 1999 until 2022, and the winner received a monetary prize as well as a performance of their work at the Sydney Theatre Company.
The George Barrett Public Interest Law Award is the Sidney Hillman Foundation’s annual award for journalism that serves the public good. This year’s honoree, Philippe Sands QC, is being recognised for his long career in the best tradition of the public interest – representing people without money or power to address their fundamental civil and human rights and to tackle the legacies of colonialism. The prize is worth $100,000 and is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW. For details, click here. The prize is also supported by the City of Sydney. Each year the prize is presented at a special event held in conjunction with the Sydney Peace Conference. The City of Sydney is proud to be a supporter of this important event and the prize. The next Sydney Peace Conference will be held in 2024.