The Global Good Awards has today announced this year’s finalists for the Canon Young Champion of the Year Award, recognising the achievements of exceptional young people who have shown incredible passion and leadership in their efforts to campaign for positive change.
The category, sponsored by Canon and inspired by Canon EMEA’s Young People Programme, aims to celebrate outstanding individuals across the region who are driving social and environmental change, while encouraging those around them to take a stance on the important issues that affect our world.
A total of 10 finalists have been shortlisted and will join the awards ceremony taking place on 22nd September 2021:
Under 16s category
- Gauri Vaidya – Belonging
Gauri’s project Belonging saw her record the experiences of people from marginalised communities in India through photography and writing, hoping to raise awareness of the challenges they face in order to find solutions.
- Mishal Faraz and Mir Faraz – Young Changemakers
Siblings Mishal and Mir have worked together for the past seven years to campaign for sustainability in the UAE; volunteering their time to help organisations bring about environmental and social change.
- Sahana Mantha – Foundation for Girls
Sahana co-founded Foundation for Girls, an organisation based in Charlotte, USA, which is dedicated to empowering homeless single mothers by providing them with support to improve their career confidence, digital skills and financial awareness.
- Simeon Macaulay, Louis Eolsom & Coen Baines – SOS from the kids
SOS from the Kids is a musical group from the UK who write songs that act as a wake-up call for climate action and aim to inspire other young people to do the same.
- The Eco Emeralds – All Saints Catholic Primary School
The Eco Emeralds are a group of environmentalists aged 9-11 from Liverpool in the UK who are helping to transform their local community and inspire others to look after nature. They were also short-listed in this category for their great work in 2020.
Under 21s category
- Alabi Samuel Anjolaoluwa – Students of Ibadan
Alabi’s Students of Ibadan project looks to shine a light on the story and struggle of students in Ibadan, Nigeria, revealing the challenges they face on an everyday basis.
- Anya Kathpalia – Stitching the Gender Gap: Project Jagriti in Rajasthan
As part of Project Jagriti, which aims to support women from marginalised communities in India with digital literacy, Anya travelled to remote villages to help more than 200 women bridge the gender gap.
- Faisal Al Fozan – Diratna for Social Projects
In supporting UAE-based charity Diratna, Faisal has launched various non-profit initiatives including Hands Free, a non-profit project which during Covid has used 3D printing and biodegradable solutions to enable hands-free interactions.
- Riva Tulpule – WeCareDXB
Riva founded the WeCareDXB platform to both spread awareness of the harmful effects of e-waste and support recycling initiatives in Dubai and has helped to recycle over 30 tonnes of e-waste to date.
- Sarah Goody – Climate NOW
Sarah, based in the USA, founded Climate NOW in 2019 to help inspire action within the youth-led climate movement, and to date has worked with more than 10,000 young people across the world.
All finalists will receive a Canon SELPHY Square QX10, helping them to continue to celebrate their efforts and achievements through visual storytelling.
Visual storytelling is a significant aspect of the submission process, with entrants supplying up to six captioned images alongside a supporting statement to tell their story. The submissions from this year’s finalists stood out to the judges as being particularly impactful, especially in a year where everyday life has been upended, especially for young people.
Adam Pensotti, judge of the Canon Young Champion of the Year Award category and Head of Canon’s Young People Programme said: “The Global Good Awards is a fantastic opportunity for passionate young campaigners to showcase their efforts and gain recognition for their achievements. We’d like to thank this year’s finalists for their outstanding work and look forward to celebrating the winners of the Canon Young Champion of the Year Award later in the year.”
The two winners will be announced on 22nd September 2021, with both receiving a Canon EOS entry level DSLR. Please visit the Global Good Awards website for more information.