KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information says the 2020 staging of the Prime Minister’s National Youth Awards for Excellence will be virtual.

The ministry said 68 nominees have been shortlisted across 12 categories.

According to Prime Minister Andrew Holness, “as the number one resource for the future; it is imperative that we celebrate the positive efforts and outcomes of our young people as they make a difference in their communities, often without compensation or fanfare.

“Their passion and desire to make a positive contribution to the development of our country as they rethink our current realities and work diligently for a prosperous future deserves the nation’s highest youth honour,” he added.

This year, the categories that fielded the most shortlisted nominees are: Nation Builder, which has 11 nominees; Leadership with 10; Academics has nine; while Arts and Culture and Sports have seven nominees each.

The ministry said notable strides have been made in the categories of Agriculture and Innovation in Science and Technology, both of which closed with five nominees each.

The categories of Journalism and Youth Development have four nominees each, while Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises, Environmental Protection and International Achievement closed with two nominees each.

Holness emphasised the Government’s commitment to the empowerment of youth by expanding opportunities for them through their inclusion in policy creation and development; especially in areas that affect them directly.

Introduced in 1998, over three hundred young Jamaicans between the ages of 15-29 who have excelled and contributed to national development in various areas have been named Prime Minister’s National Youth Awardees.

This year’s award ceremony is being celebrated under the theme “Youth: Resilient Through Entrepreneurship, Training, Hope Innovation, Networking and Knowledge (RETHINK).”