The Sydney Prize is a monthly award that honors investigative journalism. The winner is announced on the second Wednesday of each month and receives $500, a bottle of union-made wine and a certificate designed by New Yorker cartoonist Edward Sorel. The prize is sponsored by the Sydney Foundation and Overland magazine.
The winner of the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize receives $5,000 in cash and is published in Overland’s autumn 2024 issue, as well as online. This competition is open to writers worldwide. To enter, submit a story to Overland’s website by midnight on the first Sunday of each month. Writers can also take out a subscription to Overland at the special subscriber rate and then enter the competition for free.
Several different types of prizes exist that recognise individuals and organisations for their achievements in various fields. For example, the Sidney Prize honours science and technology. This prize was established in memory of physicist and industrialist Sir Sidney Thomas, who was an internationally renowned scholar in the history of art and technology. He also edited two important books on the subject and founded a company that produced specialty dyes.
Another prize, the Hillman Prize, was established in 1950 and is given to journalists who pursue investigations of significant public interest. Previous winners include Jane Mayer for her book on Dick Cheney and the Bush Administration’s violations of domestic and international law; Bill Moyers for his television series “Buying the War”; and Spike Lee and Sam Pollard for their film, “When the Levees Broke.”
A variety of other awards are granted to promote particular fields of study. For instance, the Sydney Peace Prize is awarded each year to a person who promotes “peace with justice” and human rights. Past recipients have included Julian Burnside, Noam Chomsky and Mary Robinson. The Black Lives Matter movement was one of the most recent to be honoured with this prize, with founders Patrise Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi receiving it in 2015.
In addition to highlighting individual achievements, Sydney Prize also recognises organisations that have a positive impact on society. These organisations can range from social movements to charities, community groups and other non-profits. The goal of these organisations is to help people in need by providing support and assistance. They can provide financial assistance, foster education and research in the field of medicine or even help develop new technologies that could benefit humanity.
This is why the Sydney Prize is so important. It not only recognises those who are working hard toward realising their dreams, but it also helps to encourage others to keep pushing forward. It’s a win-win for everybody. Hopefully, more and more people will be inspired to continue to strive for their goals and will help make our world a better place.