The 2024 De Beers Group Shining Light Awards (SLA) jewellery design competition has officially opened for entries. This prestigious competition, part of the De Beers Group Designers Initiative (DBGDI), is dedicated to inspiring and empowering young jewellers with top-tier design and manufacturing skills across De Beers’ diamond-producing nations—Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa.
Established over 25 years ago, the Shining Light Awards have been a launching pad for emerging jewellery designers in these countries. This year, the competition offers a prize pool of US$90,000 per country.
The biennial competition invites participation from jewellery designers aged 18 to 35 who are either in their final year of a jewellery design program, have graduated, or possess relevant experience in jewellery design. Entries are open from June 19 to August 16, 2024, providing a unique platform for young talents to showcase their creativity.
“The SLA is part of our Building Forever Sustainability Strategy commitment to ‘Accelerate Equal Opportunity’,” said Otsile Mabeo, Vice President for Corporate Affairs at De Beers Global Sightholder Sales. “At De Beers, we aim to ensure every natural diamond we discover contributes to the sustainable development of our host communities. The SLA fosters growth, skills transfer, entrepreneurship, global experiences, and mentorship in the jewellery design industry. We are thrilled to support youth in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa in developing their jewellery design and manufacturing skills.”
The theme for this year is “Luxury Redefined,” which emphasizes the influence of Millennials and GenZ in defining luxury through design. It encourages entrants to innovate and create a future-forward definition of luxury that is authentic, innovative, inclusive, and celebrates diversity. Participants are invited to demonstrate their personal interpretation of luxury.
Moses Madondo, Managing Director of De Beers Managed Operations, highlighted the evolution of the SLA from a jewellery design competition to a youth enablement initiative that nurtures talent across the diamond value chain. “The theme provides entrants with the opportunity to create designs that truly reflect their identity and values. We look forward to seeing their interpretations,” said Madondo.
Winners from the four participating countries will be announced in November 2024 at a gala awards ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa, judged by an esteemed international panel. This year, the awards have been restructured to cater to winners and runners-up at different stages of their careers or businesses, offering prizes that include various combinations of business support, internships, skills development, and tuition assistance.
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