The 2026 Whitley Awards Ceremony gathered 450 supporters at the Royal Geographical Society in London to honour the six latest Whitley Award-winning conservationists and the Whitley Gold Award winner.
Our flagship prize, the Whitley Awards provide strategic support, international profile, access to a global peer network, and project funding to accelerate grassroots conservation solutions. This year’s global search attracted a record 270 applications from leaders across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
WATCH THE CEREMONY:
Driving real change for nature and people, this year’s winners shared their ambitious plans to scale their work with teams and communities rooted in the ecosystems they protect.
WFN Ambassadors Tom Heap and Kate Humble generously hosted the ceremony again this year, and WFN’s Founder Edward Whitley OBE thanked our major donors and partners for their “unconditional support and action” for over 30 years. The auditorium was brought to life by a surprise performance from THE HERDS’ puppets, as a lion stalked a kudu across the stage and through the audience, and beautiful illustrations of the winners’ focal species by Emily Faccini.
Ahead of WFN Ambassador Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, we celebrated his incredible contribution to the charity over nearly 30 years.
Follow updates on social media (@WhitleyAwards) using #WhitleyAwards.
Image credit: Gita Defoe
