A look back at the 2024 Whitley Awards Ceremony

A celebration of our globally #SharedFuture

In recognition of six new Whitley Award winning conservationists the 2024 Awards Ceremony brought together 400 supporters, donors and partners of WFN at the Royal Geographical Society for an inspiring evening that spotlighted community-driven solutions to issues of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Described as ‘igniting a true sense of conservation optimism’, the evening celebrated the Winners’ successful projects taking place in Guyana, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, Cameroon, Nepal and Brazil, while looking ahead to the new, more ambitious goals that the £50,000 Whitley Award funding will enable them to achieve.

Watch the behind-the-scenes film about the ceremony above, or view the official photos from the event here.

Celebrating new and inspiring Whitley Award winners

The night also presented a stirring occasion in which to thank our major donors, the Friends of WFN (who collectively sponsor the Gold Award winner) and all of our supporting partners for their generosity, with WFN Founder, Edward Whitley, announcing this year as the 25th anniversary of HRH The Princess Royal joining the charity as Patron — a statement warmly received by a round of applause from the audience in the room.

Thanking The Princess for her “generous, informed and dynamic commitment” to WFN, Edward noted that Her Royal Highness has never missed a ceremony yet! Watch Edward’s speech again in full.

Later addressing the audience of supporters and country Ambassadors, The Princess Royal celebrated this year’s “new and inspiring Whitley Award winners”, noting that “these individuals and all the people who work with them are working in the most biodiverse yet very vulnerable places, and they’ve all demonstrated a quite extraordinary level of commitment to protecting wildlife and habitats, but particularly through those community-led solutions that need recognition and support, and that also give us a reason for hope.”

“They are knowledgeable and articulate, and it is their tenacity and persistence… that strengthens the work of the Whitley Fund for Nature every year, and it’s what makes these Awards one of the most inspirational of environmental events of the year.” Watch HRH The Princess Royal’s speech.

A future-inspiring evening

Culminating in an occasion described as an “interesting, enjoyable, positive, future-inspiring evening”, Ambassadors Tom Heap and Kate Humble compèred the Ceremony with enthusiasm, wit and great camaraderie, while this year’s Whitley Gold Award winner, Purnima Devi Barman moved audiences both in the room and watching via the livestream feed at home with a rousing speech about her global movement to empower women through conservation via the ‘Hargila [Stork] Army’ — a presentation that saw the room flapping their imaginary wings and channelling the call of these misunderstood birds.

Our partners at Studio Silverback supported the awards this year by making the seven short Winner films narrated by Sir David Attenborough, which are now helping to showcase the incredible work of these dedicated conservationists to the media and wider public.

Below we share some of our favourite photos from the night, and you can view the full album here.

Purnima channels the Hargila Stork, leading the audience to do the same. Watch Purnima's full speech. — Purnima channels the Hargila Stork, leading the audience to do the same. Watch Purnima’s full speech.

Compère Tom Heap shows his support for the charity by wearing his WFN Ambassador shirt.

Compère and WFN Ambassador, Kate Humble, shares a hug with WFN supporter Lyn Shears.

Commissionaires prepare for the Royal reception.

Guests arrive, and collect their ceremony programmes.

Attendees were able to make the most of a warm spring evening, enjoying the outdoor space at the RGS.

The pre-ceremony reception gave Whitley Award winners and supporters the chance to socialise. Here, Naomi Longa shares a light moment.

2005 Whitley Award winner Alberto Gomez-Mejia, who received Continuation Funding last year, was among the Whitley Award alumni in attendance, on hand to welcome the new cohort to the Winner Network.

HRH The Princess Royal greets 2024 Whitley Gold Award winner Purnima Devi Barman.

WFN Founder, Edward Whitley OBE, addresses the audience in the Ondaatje Theatre, sharing in recent the successes of the Whitley Award Winner Network. Watch Edward’s full speech again.

Winners spoke passionately about their projects and career journeys during their acceptance speeches, including Kuenzang Dorji, who reflected on how his love for golden langurs has led him in a different direction to his initial career pursuits while paying homage to his father.

Whitley Award winners received their trophies from WFN Patron HRH The Princess Royal, like Fernanda Abra, pictured here. — Whitley Award winners received their trophies from WFN Patron HRH The Princess Royal. Pictured here: Fernanda Abra.

Winners celebrated their Award win with their donors. Here, Leroy Ignacio is joined on stage by the team from Inigo, who sponsor his Whitley Award.

2021 Whitley Award winner Pedro Fruet was invited to receive his trophy from Her Royal Highness, after his year's cohort celebrated their Ceremony virtually. Pictured here with his Award donors. — 2021 Whitley Award winner Pedro Fruet was invited to receive his trophy from Her Royal Highness, after his year’s cohort celebrated their Ceremony virtually. Pictured here, Pedro is joined by representatives of the William Brake Foundation, who sponsored his Whitley Award.

Raju Acharya, Nepal's 'Owl Sir' is joined by his Award donors. — Nepal’s ‘Owl Sir’, Raju Acharya, is joined by representatives of the Frank Brake Charitable Trust who sponsor his Whitley Award.

2021 Whitley Award winner Pedro Fruet joins this year's winners, Raju Acharya, Aristide Kamla and Leroy Ignacio in a moment of celebration with WFN's Head of Grants and Head of Communications. — 2021 Whitley Award winner Pedro Fruet joins this year’s winners, Raju Acharya, Aristide Kamla and Leroy Ignacio in a moment of celebration with WFN’s Head of Grants and Head of Communications. Meet the team.

Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a special reception attended by Her Royal Highness, and a chance to reflect on the amazing winner projects being supported.

Members of the WFN NextGen committee and guests join in the celebrations. — Members of WFN NextGen and guests join in the celebrations.

The Royal Geographical Society was a buzz with conversation. — The Royal Geographical Society was a buzz with lively conversation and renewed optimism.

The WFN team and Trustees join the 2024 Whitley Award winners and Ambassador/Compères Kate and Tom to mark the occasion.

Congratulations to the 2024 Whitley Award winners! If you missed the Ceremony, there’s now a chance to catch up and watch again in full by playing the livestream on demand: