The Sydney Prize is a monthly journalism award given by the Sidney Hillman Foundation that honors outstanding work in pursuit of social justice and public policy for the common good. It is awarded to journalists for articles published in a magazine or newspaper, on an online news site or blog, broadcast on radio or television, or published as a book. Nominations are accepted for one’s own work, or for another’s, and are due by the last day of each month. Winners are announced on the second Wednesday of each month.
The winner of the 2024 Sydney Prize, Nazanin Boniadi, a human rights activist for women’s and children’s issues in Iran, will receive the $100,000 award. Boniadi has been a tireless advocate for human rights and social change, turning outrage into action. She will be formally presented with the award later this year.
Founded in memory of Dartmouth College Professor Sidney Cox, the Sydney Prize has been used to help students with their literary pursuits, whether they be writing a novel or working on a research project. It is open to any graduate student who has demonstrated promise in the early stages of their graduate program, and it is given to encourage them to continue their creative pursuits. The scholarship is based on the principle that any work of literary merit deserves to be pursued regardless of one’s economic situation.
Each winner of the Sydney Prize will be invited to present a lecture at the University, and also have their work displayed in the Faculty of Arts Library for a year. The winners are also expected to use their prize money to promote science, whether it be in teaching the public about its importance or sparking interest among young people to study scientific fields like biology or medicine.
In addition to the annual Sydney Prize, the foundation has awarded the following prizes in the past:
Awarded by the Society for the History of Technology in 2023, this prestigious prize recognizes the best book in the field of historical studies of technology. The winner is chosen annually by a panel of distinguished scholars in the field.
Established in 2012 from a donation by Alan W. Mills, this award aims to stimulate philosophical discussion of the concept of Time. It is awarded on the basis of quality rather than on financial need, and it may be granted to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The Sydney Peace Prize, Australia’s international prize for peace, recognises leading global voices who work for a more just and peaceful world. Past Laureates include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson, Joseph Stiglitz, Patrick Dodson and Naomi Klein. The prize is funded by the City of Sydney and the University of Sydney. Please consider donating to support the work of the Sydney Peace Prize Laureates. Donations are tax deductible in Australia.