Johannesburg, South Africa, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- De Beers Group is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 Shining Light Awards, a jewellery design competition dedicated to empowering the next generation of designers from the countries where De Beers recovers diamonds, including Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa.
Originally launched in 1995, the Shining Light Awards are part of the De Beers Group Designers Initiative, a youth beneficiation skills development initiative aimed at cultivating world-class jewellery design and manufacturing skills within De Beers Group’s host countries. The competition runs every two years and is open to jewellery designers aged 18 to 35 who are in their final year of a jewellery design programme, have already graduated or who have relevant experience in jewellery design.
This year’s design theme, “Luxury Redefined”, invited entrants to present innovative, authentic and inclusive visions of luxury, while celebrating diversity. Each entry included designs for a complete jewellery collection featuring a ring, necklace, earrings, bangles and bracelets. A total of 104 entries were submitted this year, from which 22 finalists representing each country were selected.
Moses Madondo, CEO of De Beers Group Managed Operations, said: “The Shining Light Awards are a testament to De Beers Group’s commitment to beneficiation in the countries where we recover diamonds. By creating accessible opportunities within the diamond sector, we are actively investing in local talent, with a particular focus on supporting youth in our host countries to benefit from the diamond industry. Through the Shining Light Awards, we provide a platform that not only nurtures and develops emerging designers but also highlights the value of skills transfer, entrepreneurship, and creativity along the diamond value chain. We are truly inspired by the level of talent and innovation showcased by this year’s finalists.”
The Shining Light Awards are a cornerstone of De Beers’ youth beneficiation strategy, designed to create an environment for growth, skills transfer, entrepreneurship, global experiences and mentorship in the jewellery design sector. An international panel of judges representing the four countries, led by CEO of De Beers Jewellers, Céline Assimon, evaluated and selected this year’s winners.
“The Shining Light Awards provide a platform to spotlight young talent and open doors within the diamond sector and global markets. This year’s theme, Luxury Redefined, inspired a range of creative interpretations with designers exploring sustainability, natural elements and cultural heritage as sources of inspiration, reflecting how luxury is shaped and defined by individual lived experience. It was an honour to be part of this year’s competition, and congratulations to our winners and all applicants for their exceptional submissions,” said Céline.
The 2024 Shining Light Award prizes are designed to advance each winner’s career by further developing their skills and equipping them with essential tools for success. The prizes include business support, a structured skills development programme, and tuition assistance, all aimed at empowering winners to build sustainable careers in the jewellery industry and contribute lasting value to their communities.
The 2024 winners are:
First Place
- Legakwana Leo Makgekgenene (Botswana)
- Alisha Ansems (Canada)
- Juliana Fransisko (Namibia)
- Otlotleng Moshupa (South Africa)
Second Place
- Tsholo Cater Mogobye (Botswana)
- Elinor Nelson-Hachey (Canada)
- Padja Kaitungwa (Namibia)
- Eve Julia Schneeberger (South Africa)
Third Place
- Tshegofatso Sheba Kenalemang (Botswana)
- Samantha Yeung (Canada)
- Luka Ndivayele (Namibia)
- Lisa Henn (South Africa)
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Notes to Editors
High resolution images of the evening and the winning designs are available to download here.
Jewellery pieces from each recipients' designs were created as part of the event. The Canadian recipients' pieces featured diamonds recovered from Gahcho Kué mine in the Northwest Territories.
Contact
Jackie Mapiloko
Vice President, Communications, De Beers SA
+27 (0) 11 374 7000
+27 (0) 83 843 4133
jackie.mapiloko@debeersgroup.com
About De Beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing 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 De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services via De Beers Institute of Diamonds and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology systems via De Beers Group Ignite. 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.
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