Young Humanitarian of the Year
The Young Humanitarian Award has been established to recognise the extraordinary contribution of a young person who has demonstrated leadership and a genuine spirit of goodwill, volunteerism, philanthropy and/or humanitarianism in the benefit of others.
Criteria
- Must be aged 25 or under at time of nomination
- Demonstrated leadership in humanitarian initiatives
- Innovative approaches to addressing community needs
- Clear evidence of impact through voluntary or professional work
- Strong commitment to humanitarian values
- Both self-nominations and nomination of others are accepted
Previous Winners
Previous award winners include Adam King, Ruby O’Kelly, Saoi O’Connor, Jai Bobinac and Donal Walsh.
Adam King, Winner of Young Humanitarian 2024
East Cork hero Adam King captured the nation’s hearts when the then seven-year-old appeared on the 2020 RTÉ Toy Show to promote his ‘Virtual Hug Campaign’. Thanks to his efforts this campaign went on to raise €6.5 million for children’s charities.
Since then, Adam has continued his advocacy work and started a charity with his family called Adam King Adventures. This charity has partnered with many organisations and has helped to raise awareness and funds for many causes in the past few years. Some examples from 2023 include participating in the Darkness into Light campaign, supporting World Down Syndrome Day and collaborating with Hi Healthy Ireland. Most recently Adam started a clothing line of sustainable children’s clothes in 2023 where the profits from the sale of these products are donated to charity.
Adam’s inspirational advocacy and philanthropy demonstrate the profound impact that individuals, regardless of age, can have on their communities. Through his charitable endeavours and commitment to helping others, he has become a symbol of hope and compassion for children and families in need.
