NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- De Beers Group recently announced the winners of the 2020–2021 Shining Light Awards (SLA) during a live-streamed event in Toronto, Ontario. An international panel of jewelry design experts, including previous SLA winners, diamond jewelry professionals and educators, came together to judge the record number of entries received this year.
With the theme this year of "The Evolution of Love & Life", each of the 123 submissions included designs for a full jewelry collection - a ring, necklace, earrings, and bangle/bracelet. The panel selected 12 finalists, three from each country where De Beers discovers diamonds – Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa – with first, second and third place winners announced at the event (full list of winners below). First place winners will receive a 12-month post-graduate scholarship at a leading design school, Poli. Design in Milan, Italy; second place winners will receive 12-months of artisan jewelry manufacturing training and third place winners will receive a three-month local internship with De Beers Group Company.
Originally launched in 1995, the Shining Light Awards are open to recent graduates (aged 18-35) of jewelry design programs in the four countries. The competition is part of the De Beers Group Designers Initiative (DBGDI), a program that nurtures the development of young jewelry designers by supporting their artistry, promoting creative diversity and making lasting contributions to the communities in which they live and work.
Pat Dambe, Vice President of Market Outreach for Natural Diamonds, De Beers Group, said: "We're delighted to announce the winners of this year's Shining Light Awards, who represent a bright new generation of jewelry designers from Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. The Shining Light Awards extend the positive impact that natural diamonds create in the countries where De Beers discovers diamonds by cultivating opportunities for emerging designers to showcase their talents on a global stage. It was a privilege to work with this diverse and inspiring group of designers, and to provide them with access to sustainable development pathways to build long-lasting careers."
The SLAs make an important contribution to the delivery of De Beers Group's Building Forever sustainability framework, which represents the company's longstanding commitment to creating a positive and sustainable impact for people and the planet. The SLAs are one of several programs the company delivers to encourage the diversification of talent and skills in diamond-producing countries.
The 2022-2023 Shining Light Awards gala will be hosted in South Africa, where the DBGDI was created 26 years ago.
List of SLA winners
First Place (Awarded a 12-month post graduate scholarship at Poli.Design - Polytechnic di Milano, in Milan, Italy)
Laone Kaelo Rahele (Botswana)
Valerie Lamiel (Canada)
Juliana Bonita Fredericks (Namibia)
Tebogo Shaun Ledwaba (South Africa)
Second Place (12-month artisan jewelry manufacturing training)
Yozikee Juliet KIariambahe (Botswana)
Virgina Muralt (Canada)
Gilliem Burirab (Namibia)
Kgaugelo Pinyana Mpela (South Africa)
Third Place (Three-month local internship with De Beers Group Company
About De Beers Group Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world's leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of the De Beers Group strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions, such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives GemFair and Tracr. De Beers Group is committed to 'Building Forever,' a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
SOURCE De Beers Group
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