The Sidney Prize and Eureka Prize Winners Announced
A Sydney prize is an award given to a person or organization in recognition of achievement or for excellence in some specific activity. The word prize derives from the Latin praegere, meaning to strive or to advance. Prizes are often given in the form of money, but other awards may be presented in the form of a plaque or a medallion. They are usually based on the merit of a particular accomplishment, but can also be awarded for outstanding service or for an entire career.
George Packer’s superb profile of Angela Merkel won this year’s Sidney prize for magazine essays, an honor bestowed annually by the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT). The piece shows the German chancellor as a pragmatic manager and a practical plodder — a far cry from the romantic visionary that many hoped she would be.
The 2024 winners of the Eureka prizes, known as Australia’s “Science Oscars,” have been announced. University of Sydney researchers picked up four of the prestigious prizes, including one for a groundbreaking discovery and another for mentoring early career research colleagues.
It was a long time coming for a Sidney resident, but Paul Masters has finally nailed down his million-dollar Lotto Max prize. Masters, who is a self-described music enthusiast, purchased the winning ticket at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Sidney. He said the most exciting part of his win is knowing that he and his family’s financial future are secure for years to come.
In a nod to the legacy of the late theatre writer Sidney Howard, the Sydney prize for new playwriting has been established by the New York-based playwrights’ company. The award aims to identify and support a promising young writer who is at the beginning of his or her career. Previous winners have included the likes of Robert Ardrey and Tennessee Williams.
Winners of the Sidney Prize will be invited to attend the annual SHOT conference in Los Angeles this fall and will join a network of prominent journalists from across the country who use their skills to uncover social injustices. The winners will receive a $10,000 cash prize and an engraved medallion from the Hillman Foundation.
The human rights movement Black Lives Matter has won this year’s Sydney peace prize. The prize will be formally conferred at the city’s peace forum in November. The movement was founded in the United States by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi following the 2013 acquittal of the man who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.
This is the third time Black Lives Matter has won a Sydney prize, which has been running since 2013. The prize honours a nominee that promotes “peace with justice”, human rights and non-violence. It has previously been won by journalist Julian Burnside, former Irish President Mary Robinson and Noam Chomsky. The prize is financed by the City of Sydney.