CALLING ALL ASPIRING JEWELLERY DESIGNERS – ENTRIES FOR THE 2024 SHINING LIGHT AWARDS NOW OPEN
July 02 2024 - 11:00AM
Entries for the 2024 De Beers Group Shining Light Awards (SLA)
jewellery design competition are officially open. The competition
falls under the De Beers Group Designers Initiative (DBGDI), a
youth beneficiation skills development initiative aimed at
inspiring, igniting, and enabling young jewellers with world-class
jewellery design and manufacturing skills in each of the De Beers
Group diamond-producing countries – Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and
South Africa.
Since its launch more than 25 years ago, the Shining Light
Awards have been a springboard for emerging jewellery designers
across De Beers’ diamond producer countries, including Botswana,
Namibia and South Africa. The prize pool for this year’s
competition is US$90,000 per country
The competition runs every two years and is open to jewellery
designers aged 18 to 35, who are in their final year, have
graduated from a jewellery design programme or have relevant
experience in jewellery design. The competition provides a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for youth to showcase their talent.
Entries for the 2024 Shining Light Awards competition will be open
from 19 June to 16 August 2024.
“The SLA is part of our Building Forever Sustainability Strategy
commitment to ‘Accelerate Equal Opportunity’,” explains Otsile
Mabeo, Vice President for Corporate Affairs at De Beers Global
Sightholder Sales. “We at De Beers are committed to making an
impact beyond the life of the mine by ensuring that every natural
diamond we discover contributes to the sustainable development of
our host communities wherever we have our operations. The SLA
creates an enabling environment for growth, skills transfer,
entrepreneurship, global experiences and mentorship in the
jewellery design industry and we are excited to support youth
across Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa develop jewellery
design and manufacturing skills. ”
This year’s theme is “Luxury Redefined”, which recognises the
power of Millennials and GenZ to tell their story through design.
The theme calls on entrants to innovate and curate a future forward
definition of luxury that focuses on being authentic, innovative
and inclusive whilst celebrating diversity. The theme calls on
youth to show the world what Luxury means to them.
Moses Madondo, Managing Director of De Beers Managed Operations,
says, “The SLA has evolved over the past years from being just a
jewellery design competition to a youth enablement initiative that
celebrates and capacitates jewellery design talent. It creates new
and optimises existing facets of the diamond value chain – from
jewellery design and manufacturing to sales, marketing and
entrepreneurship.”
“The theme gives our entrants the space to really create
something that accurately reflects their identity and values in
today’s era, to define luxury in a brand new way. We are looking
forward to seeing how they will interpret the theme,” says
Madondo.
Winners from the four producer countries will be announced in
November 2024, at a prestigious gala awards ceremony in
Johannesburg, South Africa, following judging by an esteemed
international panel.
This year the awards have been restructured to meet the winner
and runners-up at their particular stage of career or business.
There are three options awardees can choose from, and prizes
include various combinations of business support, internships,
skills development and tuition support for studies.
For more information about the 2024 Shining Light Awards
competition and how to submit entries, please visit the official
social media pages:
Facebook: Shining Lights Awards
Instagram: Shininglightawards
- De Beers Group Designers Initiative - Shining Light Awards
2024
Terry Kruger
De Beers Canada
1.867.679.6431
Terry.Kruger@debeersgroup.com