The Edinburgh Award 2023
04 Sep 2023
Nominations for the Edinburgh Award have now closed. The 2023 recipient will be announced in due course.
Since 2007, the Edinburgh Award has celebrated an individual who has made a truly unique contribution to the city. With the new criteria it means that someone can now be nominated - whether or not they were born or lived in Edinburgh - if they have gained national and international recognition for Scotland’s Capital through their work.
The 2022 recipient was Sir Geoff Palmer, in recognition of his ground-breaking contributions to academia, his indefatigable defence of human rights in Edinburgh and beyond, and most recently his work heading up the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group. Sir Geoff was presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost and had his handprints set in stone at the City Chambers quadrangle.
More details about the criteria for the Edinburgh Award 2023 can be found on the Council website.
Criteria
Nominations are invited for an individual who you think deserves to be presented with the award and meets the following criteria:
- Was born in Edinburgh, has lived in the city for the past 12 months or has a substantial association with Edinburgh
- Has not previously been awarded The Freedom of the City
- Is not a previous recipient of The Edinburgh Award
- Is not a serving politician
Edinburgh Award recipients
2022 Sir Geoff Palmer
2021 Fergus Linehan
2020 Alexander McCall Smith
2019 Ann Budge
2018 Doddie Weir
2017 Sir Timothy O'Shea
2016 Ken Buchanan MBE
2015 Sir Tom Farmer
2014 Thomas Gilzean
2013 Richard Demarco
2012 Dame Elizabeth Blackadder
2011 Professor Peter Higgs
2010 George Kerr CBE
2009 Sir Chris Hoy MBE
2008 JK Rowling OBE
2007 Ian Rankin OBE
The Edinburgh Award was established in 2007 and is now a prestigious annual award to honour an outstanding individual who has made a positive impact on the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh.
The recipient is presented with an engraved Loving Cup at a ceremony hosted by the Lord Provost and has their hand prints reproduced on a flagstone in the City Chambers quadrangle.