Press releases
Vince Cable's grandson on longlist for Amnesty award
United Kingdom’s top young journalists and photographers named
Amnesty International today unveiled the top ten in each of the categories for its Young Human Rights Reporter competition.
Around 2,500 Children's rights from nearly 200 different schools from all four corners of the UK took part in the competition, which is run by Amnesty International UK, the Guardian Teacher Network and the secondary school magazine SecEd.
Among the final ten for the Upper Primary and Lower Secondary photojournalism category was Ayrton Cable, the grandson of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The ten-year-old Ayrton’s photograph highlighted the devastating impact the use of conflict minerals in mobile phones is having on the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ayrton was delighted when he was told he had made the longlist. He said:
“I’m very happy to be longlisted in the top ten! I really would like to thank everyone who is helping out with the campaign. There is a terrible amount of suffering in the Congo. A fair trade phone would make a huge difference to the nation.”
His grandfather, Vince Cable MP, added:
“Ayrton, my grandson, has already developed a reputation for mature and interesting use of film and photography. He was chosen to lead a campaign on animal welfare after he had made a short film on the condition of farm animals and gave an impressive talk in Parliament about it.
“He has now taken on the theme of the dreadful exploitation of the Congo to obtain rare minerals used in mobile phones. Ayrton’s picture of a very glamorous woman (his mother) illustrates the casual way in which we all use the products of this human tragedy.”
Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK, said:
“Photographers and Journalists play such an important role in exposing human rights abuses and it is inspiring to see so many Children's rights and young people taking an active interest in human rights.”
Longlisted in each category are:
- Upper primary journalism: Amelia Cliff (BBG Academy, Bradford); Alice De Abaitua (London Field Primary School, London); Miranda Gibbon (Merryhills Primary School, Enfield); Ediz Korusoy (Osideg Primary School, London); Rianne Taha (St Cedds Primary School, Chelmsford); Matthew Johnson and Bryony Smith (Gorseland Primary School, Ipswich); and Clement Marshall, Lilianna Newsam-Smith and Alisa Robb (Rhodes Avenue Primary School, London)
- Lower secondary journalism: Lir Afiq (Chinthurst School, Tadworth); Anna-Beth Brogan (Oxford High School); Harry Brown (Yarm School, Stockton-on-Tees); Connor Brown (Dolphin School, Hurst, near Reading); Victoria Coleman (Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend); Ciara Maxwell (Notting Hill Prep School, London); Jack O’Dwyer-Henry (Methodist College, Belfast); Bethany Patrick (Forge Valley Community School, Sheffield); and Gabriella Emery and Ashta Ndombele (Bishop Thomas Grant School, Streatham).
- Upper secondary journalism: Genevieve Brown (Inverurie Academy, Inverurie); Chloe Crowl (Penglais Comprehensive School, Aberstwyth); Sean Kemsley (Marling School, Stroud); Kelsea Utting (The Dormston, Sedgley); Ellie Williams (Knutsford Academy, Knutsford); Jessamine Rosales (The Sholing Technology College, Southampton); Zaahidur Rahman (Cranbrook School, Ilford); India Moore (Wirral Grammar School for Girls, Bebington); and Ebrubaoghene Abel-Unokan and James Sheridan (Wilson’s School, Wallington, Surrey).
- Sixth form journalism: Amy Barr (Coloma Convent Girls’ School, Croydon); Julia Cushion (Lewis Girls’ School. Hengoed, Wales); Saphia Haffejee (Tolworth Girls’ School, Surbiton, Surrey); Charlie Blake (Bancroft’s School, Ilford); Louise Wylie (Knightswood School); Harriette Casey (Colchester Sixth Form College); Elizabeth Shorland (Kendrick School, Reading); Georgia Musson (Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge); Alena Sadiq (Woldingham School, Surrey); and Holly Gomez (Woodfarm High School, East Renfrewshire, Scotland).
- Upper primary and lower secondary photojournalism: Lewis Wooltorton (Therfield School, Leatherhead, Surrey); Ashlea Davies, Rebecca Williams, Chloe Rowlands and Luka Philip (Wirral Grammar School for Girls); Alexandra Ingram (Orchard Park, Laugharne, Wales); Eve Wilson (Ysgol Lacharn, Wales); Sharanya Roy (Knaphill Junior School, Knaphill, Surrey); Ayrton Cable (Hampton Court House, Surrey); Nicole McPeake (Waldegrave School, Twickenham, Middlesex).
- Upper secondary and sixth form photojournalism: Isabel Watkins (Royal School, Haslemere, Surrey); Nancy Cofie, Rebekah Williams, Stephanie Piedra (The Charter School, London); Shannon Goody (Lagan College, Belfast); Chloe Horsfield and Holly Bairstow (Benton Park, Rawdon, Yorkshire); Anna Williams (The Henley College, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire); Sinew Kilinic (Waldegrave School, Twickenham, London); Emma Farrell (Highworth Warneford School, Swindon).
The top three from each category will be unveiled on Wednesday 3 April and will then be invited to a prestigious awards ceremony at Amnesty International UK’s headquarters on 30 April, when the winners will be announced.
The winner’s work will then be showcased at Amnesty’s annual Media Awards in central London in front of an audience of over 400, including the nation’s top media figures, on 11 June.
Background
Young people were asked to write an article or report of up to 500 words on a human rights-related issue or submit a photograph on a human rights theme.
Longlisting was completed by Pete Henshaw (Editor of SecEd), Emily Drabble (Contributing Editor, Guardian Teacher Network) and Elli Narewska (Education Officer, Guardian Education Centre).