PRESS RELEASE - Her Majesty The Queen will present the inaugural Queen’s Young Leaders Awards to exceptional young people from across the Commonwealth at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Monday 22nd June.
The Award winners have been recognised by The Queen for taking the lead in transforming the lives of others and make a lasting difference in their communities.
Before receiving their Award at Buckingham Palace the winners will meet the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron at 10 Downing Street, visit the UK headquarters of global social networking company, Twitter and meet with senior executives at the BBC World Service.
This year’s Award winners are aged between 18 and 29 and are working to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of different issues including; education, climate change, gender equality, mental health and disability equality.
Dr Astrid Bonfield, Chief Executive of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the first Queen’s Young Leaders to London on the 22nd, for many of whom it will be their first visit to the UK. It will be such an honour to witness these exceptional young people receiving their Awards from Her Majesty The Queen for their incredible work in their countries and across the Commonwealth.”
Following the ceremony on the 22nd June, Award winners will spend four days in the UK to take part in a residential development programme as part of the Award prize.
The programme includes workshops at Cambridge University, meetings with UK businesses leaders, and visits to life changing social action projects, finished off with a final celebration at the top of The BT Tower on Friday 26th.
The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme was established by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, in partnership with Comic Relief and The Royal Commonwealth Society in 2014, in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s 60 years of service to the Commonwealth.
To see a full list of Award winners and Highly Commended runners up, and read more about their stories please visit www.queensyoungleaders.com.
If you or someone you know is doing inspiring work like this year’s Queen’s Young Leaders, from 7pm on Monday 22nd June you can apply or nominate someone for a 2016 Award at www.queensyoungleaders.com.