A Sydney Prize is an esteemed award presented annually to honor the best long-form magazine essays of the year. The recipient can be either an individual or organization; awards typically made by well-known journalists are typically presented during ceremonies with large cash prizes attached. Winning essays must have narrative drive and social relevance while not restricting themselves to any single topic or publication – they should evoke emotion while making journalists proud to call themselves reporters.
A Sydney Prize can be awarded to those who have demonstrated significant work at the intersection between science and art, or who have fostered relationships between physics, arts and media coverage of it. A notable recent award of this sort was presented to Sid Perkowitz for his dedication in unifying art and literature with science.
Sid was widely revered during his lifetime for being an accomplished scientist, dedicated teacher and loyal friend. Their memories range widely, yet all share an impression of Sid as an example of scientific integrity; never afraid to question accepted dogmas but always sure in his research’s worthiness he posed his challenge carefully and only when confident of its validity.
Sid was also an avid proponent of academic freedom. He strongly opposed any attempts at international boycott of Israeli academics and advocated academic and scientific exchanges between universities worldwide. Sid strongly supported genetically modified food movements which he believed could help solve world hunger while improving health, and actively championed animal rights campaigns.
Overland Magazine and Malcolm Robertson Foundation recently established another Sydney prize, the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize. This competition allows participants to submit travel themed works under 3000 words for consideration before judges shortlist eight entries before selecting one winner and two runners-up. The winning writer will receive $5000 as well as being published both online and in Overland’s autumn issue; two runners-up will each be rewarded with $750. Submissions to this competition must adhere to these requirements in order to qualify; two runner-up will each receive $750 as rewards – submissions should include travel related travel themes with 3000 word limit submissions only! Judges will shortlist eight entries before selecting three finalists (one winner and runners up).
Prizes like these can easily explain their immense popularity: they recognize excellent writing while rewarding those with the courage to stand up for what they believe in, providing inspiration to all those looking to bring peace or fight civil rights in society. By bestowing these awards upon journalists they honor Sidney.