Latest news with #CommonwealthFoundation
Scoop
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Canadian Vincentian Chanel Sutherland Wins 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
41-year-old Canadian Vincentian writer wins the world's most global literature prize for 'Descend', a story in which enslaved Africans share their life stories, as the ship transporting them sinks Sutherland, a former CBC short story prize-winner, describes how she 'took a risk' with 'Descend'—'its shape, its voices—because I believed every enslaved person deserves to have their story told with dignity' Judges praise a story that 'affirms the unrivalled power of storytelling to set our spirits free and find hope where none exists' Canadian Vincentian writer Chanel Sutherland has today been announced as the overall winner of the world's most global literature prize. The 41-year-old, who was born in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and lives in Montreal, Canada, saw off 7,920 entrants worldwide to take the £5,000 prize. The Commonwealth Foundation announced her win at an online ceremony, presented by Rwandan performing artist and storyteller, Malaika Uwamahoro, in which Chanel and the other four regional winners spoke about their writing and read short extracts from their stories. In 'Descend', as a slave ship sinks, one of the enslaved Africans starts telling a story of the wife he has left behind. In the darkness, others join in. Springing vividly to life, the men and women tell their own stories—of love, family and the worlds from which they had been brutally removed. The chair of the judges, Dr Vilsoni Hereniko, said, 'Told in the quiet voice of a seer, 'Descend' is deep and profound. It tells the story of slaves packed like sardines in the hull of a sinking ship, an allegory that affirms the unrivalled power of storytelling to set our spirits free and find hope where none exists. My deepest gratitude and congratulations to the judges and the Commonwealth Foundation for shining a light on this masterpiece.' Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, the intergovernmental organisation that administers the prize, said ''Descend' is a superb piece of storytelling—bold in form, precise in detail, and unforgettable in its impact. Chanel Sutherland has taken a moment of extreme peril and fashioned a narrative that holds the reader from first line to last. She handles the weight of history with precision and imagination. This is exactly the level of craft and originality the Commonwealth Short Story Prize exists to celebrate. My congratulations to Chanel, to our outstanding regional winners, and to every writer who entered this year's record-breaking competition.' Chanel Sutherland said, 'I took a risk with 'Descend'—its shape, its voices—because I believed every enslaved person deserves to have their story told with dignity. I can't tell all the stories, or restore the lives that were stolen, but I'm humbled that this one resonates.' Describing how she found her voice as a writer, she added, 'My love for storytelling began before I even fully understood what a story was—I only knew they made me feel something, and I wanted to make others feel it too. Back in Saint Vincent, I used to scrawl my earliest stories into the sand in our yard, knowing they'd be washed away by rain or footsteps. We didn't have the resources for writing as a hobby, but I kept writing anyway, because the stories kept coming. To go from that little girl with fleeting words to now being recognised with such a prestigious and global prize is something I could never have dreamed possible. Winning feels deeply affirming—as if that little girl scribbling in the sand was always right to believe that stories mattered. 'My deepest gratitude to the Commonwealth Foundation, the judges and to my fellow regional winners Joshua, Faria, Kathleen and Subraj—your stories are extraordinary, and I'm honoured to be in your company. Here's to the stories that move us, mend us, and remind us we're not alone—may we keep telling them!' Chanel Sutherland is a Canadian Vincentian writer of fiction and creative nonfiction. Her debut short story collection, Layaway Child, will be published by House of Anansi in 2026. Chanel won the 2021 CBC Nonfiction Prize and the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize and received the 2022 Mairuth Sarsfield Mentorship. CBC Books named her one of 30 Writers to Watch in 2022. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is free to enter and is awarded annually for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from the Commonwealth. It is the only prize in the world where entries can be submitted in Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish as well as English. The story was selected as the overall winner by an international panel of judges, chaired by Dr Vilsoni Hereniko. The judges are: author, poet and scholar Nsah Mala from Cameroon (Africa); writer and 2019 Asia regional winner Saras Manickam from Malayasia (Asia); writer and journalist Dr Anita Sethi from the United Kingdom (Canada and Europe); writer, editor and comedian Lisa Allen-Agostini from Trinidad and Tobago (Caribbean); and poet, actor, musician and writer Apirana Taylor from Aotearoa/New Zealand (Pacific). As part of the Commonwealth Foundation's partnership with The London Library, the overall winner receives a two years' Full Membership to the Library and the regional winners receive a year's Full Membership. The literary magazine Granta has published all the regional winning stories of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, including 'Descend'. The five stories will also be available in a special print collection from Paper + Ink ( Global impact on writers' careers Winning or being shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story prize opens a wealth of opportunities for writers, propelling them further in their writing careers. Every year, winning and shortlisted writers have found literary agents, been invited to literary festivals, and had their work published in national and international literary publications. 2024 overall winner Sanjana Thakur had her winning story Aishwarya selected for the Best American Short Stories 2025 following its publication on Granta. She has since spoken on literary panels and had stories and poems published in Adroit, Booth, The Rumpus, Michigan Quarterly Review, and Pigeon Pages. For Julie Bouchard, 2024 regional winner for Canada and Europe, the prize allowed her to apply for and receive a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to transform her winning short story 'What Burns' into a novel. Moreover, the recognition gave her Québec editor the chance to present her work to anglophone Canadian publishers, highlighting her Commonwealth Short Story Prize win. As Julie put it, 'Ultimately, this experience offered me far more than mere recognition—it became a gateway to new creative ventures and a significant catalyst in my artistic journey'. Pip Robertson, 2024 regional winner for the Pacific region, was invited to submit a story for one of the premium journals in New Zealand, Newsroom. 2024 Caribbean regional winner Portia Subran (Trinidad and Tobago) was invited to the British Virgin Islands Literature Festival. Moreover, writers continue to benefit from their prize success. In 2024, Kwame McPherson, the 2023 overall winner, announced that his winning story 'Ocoee' was under consideration for a film/TV adaptation, and in 2025 he was invited to the 34th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) as a guest speaker at its cultural and professional programme. Submissions for the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize will open on 1 September 2025. Those interested in entering the prize can follow @cwfcreatives on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and keep up to date with the prize via Notes About the Commonwealth Short Story Prize The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is administered by the Commonwealth Foundation. The prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2000-5000 words). Regional winners receive £2,500 GBP and the overall winner receives £5,000 GBP. Short stories translated into English from other languages are also eligible. The winning stories are published online by Granta and in a special print collection by Paper + Ink. The 2025 regional winners and their stories are: Africa: 'Mothers Not Appearing in Search' by Joshua Lubwama (Uganda) Asia: 'An Eye and a Leg' by Faria Basher (Bangladesh) Canada and Europe: 'Descend' by Chanel Sutherland (Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) Caribbean: 'Margot's Run' by Subraj Singh (Guyana) Pacific: 'Crab Sticks and Lobster Rolls' by Kathleen Ridgwell (Australia) About the Commonwealth Foundation The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation mandated by its member countries to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society. Upholding a firm commitment to the principles and ideals of the Commonwealth, the Foundation seeks to nurture the growth of vibrant and free societies: championing the active and constructive participation of people in all aspects of governance. About the Commonwealth Short Story Prize The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is administered by the Commonwealth Foundation. The prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2000-5000 words). Regional winners receive £2,500 GBP and the overall winner receives £5,000 GBP. Short stories translated into English from other languages are also eligible. The winning stories are published online by Granta and in a special print collection by Paper + Ink. About the Commonwealth Foundation The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation mandated by its Member States to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society. Upholding a firm commitment to the principles and ideals of the Commonwealth, the Foundation seeks to nurture the growth of vibrant and free societies: championing the active and constructive participation of people in all aspects of governance.
Business Recorder
26-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Women agri workers to launch climate literacy campaign
HYDERABAD: In a major step toward advancing climate justice and labour rights, women agricultural workers and leaders from women-led cotton workers' trade unions in Matiari district have united to launch a district-wide climate literacy campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness among women workers and growers about the rising risks of climate change and the urgent need for safer, more dignified working conditions. The initiative emerged from a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Climate Change and Health Literacy, organized by the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF) in collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation, held in Matiari. The workshop brought together 42 women from 21 villages, equipping them with essential knowledge and practical skills to become climate campaigners. The training focused on addressing the impacts of climate change on health, livelihoods, and productivity, empowering these women to lead awareness and action in their communities. The training was inaugurated by Javed Hussain, Executive Director of SCF, who stressed that 'Climate change is not only an environmental crisis but a gender and justice issue. Women agricultural workers are on the frontlines of this crisis, and they must be at center of its solutions.' In two days training participants explored fundamentals of climate change and its specific impacts on women in agriculture. Javed Hussain opened the technical sessions, followed by Dr. Hira Arain, who addressed the effects of rising temperatures on livestock and rural livelihoods. Zubaida Turk spoke on climate-linked working conditions, while Dr. Bakhtwar focused on the health consequences of heat stress, including low blood pressure, heatstroke, and reduced productivity. She also highlighted that extreme heat is contributing to menstrual irregularities, uterine health issues, dehydration, mental health challenges, and even increased breast cancer risks all of which impact women's long-term wellbeing and ability to work. Learned how to stay safe during heatwaves, engage effectively with local communities, and conduct awareness sessions. By the end of the workshop, the women had developed a collective action plan to roll out localized climate awareness activities. Afroz, a cotton worker leader from one of the villages Long Khan Jiskanai, shared, 'We now understand how climate change is harming both our health and our livelihoods. If we don't act now, the situation will only worsen.' She urged growers to increase vegetation cover in the fields to provide shade and protect workers during cotton picking in the scorching heat. Workers also emphasized the urgent need to set a minimum wage for cotton picking. 'Without fair wages, and better working conditions' they said, 'it becomes a serious violation of our labour rights, especially as climate conditions make our work even harder.' With renewed confidence, all 42 women will now serve as local climate campaigners in Matiari. Launching a Climate Literacy Week, they aim to reach over 1,000 women cotton workers, advocate for eco-friendly shade structures, and demand stronger occupational health protections marking the beginning of a women-led climate resilience movement in rural Sindh. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Scoop
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2025 Regional Winners Announced
Five writers—chosen from a record-breaking 7,920 entrants—have been announced as regional winners of the world's most global literature prize Judges hail stories that 'cause us to feel that our lives have been enriched' A Bangladeshi writer has won the Asia regional prize for the first time The stories feature compelling characters including a new mother protecting her child from a bloodthirsty creature, a football-obsessed boy who befriends a woman against his mother's wishes, and a young woman who is literally falling apart. The Commonwealth Foundation has announced five regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the world's most global literary prize. This year's prize attracted the highest-ever number of entrants, 10 per cent more than in 2024. The regional winners are Joshua Lubwama from Uganda (Africa region), Faria Basher from Bangladesh (Asia region), Chanel Sutherland from Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Canada and Europe Region), Subraj Singh from Guyana (Caribbean region), and Kathleen Ridgwell from Australia (Pacific region). They will now go through to the final round of judging and the overall winner will be announced on Wednesday 25 June 2025. Taking the reader from a surf shack in Australia to a village in Guyana on the eve of independence, the stories tackle powerful themes head-on. We read of a clash between generations as a boy's illiterate mother fears and resents the unconventional newcomer; the lost memories of enslaved Africans for whom storytelling is their final act of defiance; the legacy of colonialism reflected in a demon that threatens to prey on a young baby; the pressures on young women in their twenties to get married and rear children—or face dire consequences; and how two young people form an unlikely friendship in the face of racism and family pressure. Chair of the Judges, Dr Vilsoni Hereniko, said, 'These stories illuminate many aspects of human nature and demonstrate true mastery of the short story form. Each tale shows that geography matters in storytelling. They are works of fiction that are inseparable from the local culture and history from which they have sprung. They have colour and emotional resonance—and they moved me deeply. Congratulations to the regional winners and judges!' The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from any of the Commonwealth 56 member countries. It is the most accessible and international of all writing competitions: in addition to English, entries can be submitted in Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish. The winning stories are: Africa: 'Mothers Not Appearing in Search' by Joshua Lubwama (Uganda) Asia: 'An Eye and a Leg' by Faria Basher (Bangladesh)
Scroll.in
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Bangladeshi-origin writer Faria Basher is the Asia winner of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
The Commonwealth Foundation has announced the five regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize on Wednesday. The regional winners are Joshua Lubwama from Uganda (Africa), Faria Basher from Bangladesh (Asia), Chanel Sutherland from Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Canada and Europe), Subraj Singh from Guyana (Caribbean), and Kathleen Ridgwell from Australia (Pacific). The overall winner will be announced on June 25. Basher is the first Bangladeshi-origin writer to win the regional Prize. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Edinburgh and a master's degree from New York University. Taking the reader from a surf shack in Australia to a village in Guyana on the eve of independence, the stories tackle powerful themes head-on. The stories present the clash between generations as a boy's illiterate mother fears and resents the unconventional newcomer; the lost memories of enslaved Africans for whom storytelling is their final act of defiance; the legacy of colonialism reflected in a demon that threatens to prey on a young baby; the pressures on young women in their twenties to get married and rear children – or face dire consequences; and how two young people form an unlikely friendship in the face of racism and family pressure. Chair of the Judges, Vilsoni Hereniko, said, 'These stories illuminate many aspects of human nature and demonstrate true mastery of the short story form. Each tale shows that geography matters in storytelling. They are works of fiction that are inseparable from the local culture and history from which they have sprung…' The winning stories are: Africa: 'Mothers Not Appearing in Search' by Joshua Lubwama (Uganda). Against his mother's wishes, a young boy befriends a woman who has recently moved into the neighbourhood. Asia: 'An Eye and a Leg' by Faria Basher (Bangladesh). A darkly humorous and surreal take on the trope of the 'expiring' South Asian woman, with touches of the macabre. Canada and Europe: 'Descend' by Chanel Sutherland (Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines). As a slave ship sinks, enslaved Africans share their life stories. Their voices rise in defiance, illuminating memory, resilience and hope. Caribbean: 'Margot's Run' by Subraj Singh (Guyana)/ A new mother ventures into the night to protect her child from a bloodthirsty creature. Pacific: 'Crab Sticks and Lobster Rolls' by Kathleen Ridgwell (Australia). An Aboriginal boy sees himself as a crab stick – cheap, artificial, misrepresented. Through a forbidden relationship with a non-Indigenous girl, he comes to see his true value: a gilgie, authentic and deeply rooted in Country. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from any of the Commonwealth's 56 member countries. In addition to English, submissions are accepted in Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish.
Business Recorder
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Business Recorder
Int'l Labour Day: SCF organises series of community awareness sessions
HYDERABAD: On International Labour Day, the Sindh Community Foundation (SCF), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation, organized a series of community awareness sessions in Ibraheem Khaskheli and Meho Machi villages in district Matiari. The sessions aimed to address the decent working conditions and the impact of climate change on women cotton workers, with over 70 women actively participating. During the sessions, Javed Hussain, Head of SCF, underscored the compounded challenges these women face due to labor rights violations and the increasing vulnerability to climate change. He pointed out that despite being the backbone of the textile industry, women agricultural workers continue to suffer from a lack of basic climate safety measures. Rising temperatures in the region, which have reached 49°C, and more frequent heatwaves are making it difficult for workers to maintain productivity. With no shaded rest areas, insufficient water access, and the depletion of trees in cotton fields, the workers are forced to labour under extreme conditions, which jeopardize their health and earnings. Hawa Khaskheli, a leader from the Paras Trade Union of Women Cotton Workers in Ibraheem Khaskheli, and Zubaida Machi, a representative from the Sujagi Trade Union of Women Cotton Workers in Meho Machi, shared their struggles, saying that despite their critical role in cotton production, they continue to face exploitation in the form of low wages, lack of health compensation, and no protection from the rising temperatures. The women workers, along with SCF and the Paras Trade Union, demanded several urgent reforms, including the provision of shaded workspaces, clean drinking water, heat protection measures, and health compensation for workers during extreme heat. They also called for orientation for growers to increase awareness about climate safety and labour rights, and for social protection systems to ensure that these workers are financially supported during climate-related disruptions. Hira Arain, SCF Manager, emphasized that the sessions were part of an effort to build awareness around climate adaptation and labour rights protection, and urged the Sindh government to take immediate action to bridge the income gap and protect the livelihoods of these women. SCF continues to call on the Sindh government, Labour Department, implement comprehensive measures to safeguard the health, safety, and livelihoods of the women who are at the frontline of the climate crisis and the cotton industry. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
