The Hostelling International Christina Cameron Youth Award

The HI-Christina Cameron award is a new scholarship for Hostelling International, aimed at young people participating in the annual Youth Forum meetings of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. This initiative, through encouraging young people from around the world to participate in the meetings, contributes to training a  well-informed next generation and ready to involve themselves in the preservation and enhancement of natural and cultural world heritage.

The Hostelling International Christina Cameron Youth Award, is named in honour of Dr. Cameron, of Canadian origin, who has long chaired the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. She also holds the Canada Research Chair on Built Heritage, and was Head of the Canadian Delegation to World Heritage from 1990 to 2008. As well, Dr. Cameron won the Public Service Award of Excellence in the Outstanding Career category (2006) and the Outstanding Achievement Award, the highest award for excellence in public service (2008). Since the 1970s, Dr. Cameron has also written extensively on Canadian architecture, and heritage management and World Heritage.

Projects designed by the award recipients can really take shape. The participation of these young people at the World Heritage Committee sessions takes on meaning because it leads to the possibility of taking concrete action relating to the protection and promotion of World Heritage. During the year following the award of scholarships, the progress of their projects is monitored.

The Hostelling International Christina Cameron Youth Award was awarded for the first time in 2008, during the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Quebec City, Canada and World Heritage City.

Recipients