DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, February 15, 2022/ — Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) EMEA, the world’s leading imaging company, will be sponsoring the third edition of the Canon Young Champion of the Year category at the Global Good Awards 2022. Entries are open now (https://bit.ly/3Bnz6t5) and will close on 22nd April 2022.
For the third year running, Canon EMEA is sponsoring the Canon Young Champion of the Year Award as part of the wider Global Good Awards, a leading award programme for recognising both organisations and individuals who are making the world a more sustainable place. This year, Ally Zlatar (https://bit.ly/3rPC1Yv), will be an important member of the judging panel for the Canon category.
Ally is a Diana Award winner, recognised for raising awareness of eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and illness through the power of art.
The Canon Young Champion award launched in 2020. It shines a spotlight on young people’s advocacy around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (https://bit.ly/3BmjTZm), celebrating their successes and inspiring others around the world to take action on causes that matter to them.
The awards are split into two categories, under 16s and under 21s, both of which are free to enter. Judges consider applications from individuals and from more than one candidate per entry, for example where groups or siblings have worked together to campaign for a good cause.
To date, the award has recognised incredible work across a wide range of issues, including gender equality, access to education, recycling and animal conservation. Last year, siblings Mishal and Mir won the under 16s category. They were recognised for their campaigning efforts to address inequality, recycling and food waste, including setting up their own charity. They have since continued their campaigning and were recently interviewed at Expo 2020 Dubai, where they spoke about how their award win has helped them to continue driving change.
The under 21s winner, Samuel, took the Canon Champion title for his work raising awareness of the challenges young people face in accessing education in his local community, through the Students of Ibadan (https://bit.ly/3HQFlbm) project.
“It’s so important for us to have every child in rural areas enrolled in school,” said Samuel. “As we look to the future, we need to ensure that children are protected and have all the tools to reach their full potential. By 2055, Africa will have the largest child population of any continent (https://bit.ly/3sEGL2h), so to me it has been important to continue using visual storytelling to continue to support the young people where I live in the rural area of Ibadan, Nigeria.”
“Celebrating and empowering the next generation of change-makers is incredibly important for creating a sustainable future, and something Canon has done ever since the launch of our Young People Programme in 2015,” said Adam Pensotti, Head of the Young People Programme, Canon EMEA.
“The Canon Young Champion of the Year award has been an incredible extension of this work, uncovering numerous stories of real change, and I look forward to being both inspired and educated by this year’s entries.”
All shortlisted finalists will receive four virtual tickets to the 2022 ceremony if outside the UK or two tickets to the physical event in London. Every finalist will be rewarded with a Canon Zoemini Portable Colour Photo Printer, while the two overall winners will each receive a Canon EOS 250D DSLR camera or equivalent.
Are you, or someone you know, under 21 and campaigning to make the world a more sustainable place?
Entrants may submit an entry for themselves if they are over 18, or alternatively, they can be nominated by a parent, guardian, company, or the charity or organisation which they are working with. Please note that previous participants in Canon’s youth programmes or relatives of Canon employees are unable to enter. For full details of entry criteria and for more information please visit the Global Good Awards website (https://bit.ly/3uSLwbk).
Applicants are invited to submit 1,000 words and up to six captioned images to tell the story of the positive change they’ve been working towards. Using the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals as a guide, entries can focus on any form of social and environmental sustainability activism, from local community initiatives right up to international projects.
About Canon Central and North Africa:
Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2015 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region – by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus.
CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market.
Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high-quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.
Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei (bit.ly/3Gn57CI) – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good.
Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better.
For more information: Canon-CNA.com
