OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Twenty-five years ago The Diana Award was founded on the belief that young people have the power to change the world, and for the last 25 years, we have been working with them to do just that.

Guided by their insights and driven by their passion, creativity, and vision we have helped connect them to resources, businesses, and opportunities, to break down the barriers that stood in their way and find opportunities for young people to create real lasting positive change. This is how we are continuing the legacy of Diana, the Princess of Wales – by strengthening the voices of young people and helping them to reach their full potential.

It has been an exhilarating quarter of a century.

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But an anniversary is much more than just an important landmark. It is a chance to reflect on our work, to celebrate, not only what we have achieved, but the successes of our alumni and to thank our committed partners for their tireless support without which none of this would be possible.

It is also an opportunity to recognise that there is still much to do. While more than one in ten young people aged 16-25 are not in employment education or training, one in three teenagers experience bullying and young people from working-class backgrounds are 60% less likely to secure a job, we cannot rest on our laurels.

25 years on, we still firmly believe in the transformative power of young people and we understand the challenges they face because they are rarely listened to by those in power, and those in power find it hard to understand and engage with young people.  

We want to change this. We want to empower businesses to listen to and understand young people, and give them access to opportunities, to ensure the priorities and views of the next generation are being understood and harnessed by UK organisations.

At the same time, by giving young people better access to the corporate world and those in positions of power, The Diana Award is equipping the youth of today with a stronger understanding of the world around them, increasing their power and influence over decisions that affect their lives.

We want to work with you to help bridge this gap, connecting your business with their next employees. If this sounds like an area of interest, please email us.

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OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS_

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we will host events and activities aligned with our Future Forward strategy. Our year-long celebration began in March 2024 with The Legacy Award Ceremony. This unique accolade celebrates the achievements of the 20 most outstanding Diana Award Recipients from the previous two years who have changed the world, as the late Princess Diana believed they could. These changemakers were joined by a select group of leaders for a week-long leadership experience in London, culminating in the prestigious ceremony at The Science Museum. Sponsored by Gilead Sciences and supported by Atrum and British Airways. Read more here. 

In July 2024, as a new government formed, we emphasised the importance of young people's voices in decision-making and policies affecting their future. The event featured the launch of our comprehensive report, Youth Voices in Politics: The Diana Youth Insights Report, developed over the previous six months through surveys and focus groups with 13-25-year-olds across the UK. At the event, leaders and key figures engaged with young peer researchers about the obstacles to political engagement by young people. One of our goals for our 25th year and beyond is to continue supporting young people in overcoming barriers to political and social engagement. Read more here.

In September The Diana Award will be joined by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex as young people take centre-stage at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York to drive a global movement of young activists, from across the world for The Diana Award’s ‘Decade of Youth Wellbeing’.

The panel discussion with Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Dr Tessy Ojo, CBE, CEO of The Diana Award, will be led by insights from young people Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang from Indonesia and Christina Williams from Jamaica and who received The Legacy Award in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.