Young Indonesian wins prestigious Princess Diana Award
Christy Zakarias, has been awarded the International Diana Award for her work in a community in the Cisadane river basin, in Indonesia.
Christy Zakarias and British Ambassador Mark Canning
Christy Zakarias, an Indonesian student, has been awarded the International Diana Award for her work in Kampung Lengkong, a community in the Cisadane river basin, Tangerang, Banten. She is the first Indonesian to win this prestigious award.
Since the 8th grade, the 14-year-old student of Sinarmas World Academy in Tangerang, has given free English lessons to elementary school children in her neighborhood and, with a friend, has founded the “Riveria” organization
Christy received the award certificate, which was signed by the British Prime Minister David Cameron, from the British Ambassador, Mark Canning, at a ceremony at the British Embassy on 30 May.
The Ambassador said:
I am delighted that Christy has received this important recognition of the fantastic work she has done for her community. I applaud her, and all those other young Indonesians, who are helping those in society who are less fortunate than they are and who are giving back to their community in important ways. I am confident that Princess Diana, whose memory this award honors, would have been greatly impressed at what she has achieved.
The International Diana Award was created in 2011 to honor the year that would have been Princess Diana’s 50th Birthday. There are 150 recipients of the Diana Award from all over the world.
Christy, who was nominated by the Global Issues Network Indonesia, is the first Indonesian to receive the award.
Notes to editors
For further information on the International Diana Award, please visit: http://diana-award.org.uk/the-award/international-award