Minister presents youth awards recognising leadership and community spirit

The Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture, Tourism and Youth, Christian Santos, presented the 2026 Youth Achievement Awards to recognise young people, youth leaders and organisations for their contribution to the community.

The awards, organised by the Gibraltar Youth Service on behalf of the Ministry of Youth, form part of the Government’s commitment to recognising young people who demonstrate excellence, leadership and community spirit.

Nominations were invited from the public and considered by a panel, which selected those it felt most deserved recognition.

This year’s recipients included young people, youth leaders and organisations whose work has made a difference across a range of settings.

The awards were presented to Chantal Lawless Pembroke and Liya Krystyna Mary Lowes for their contribution to the canoeing community, their willingness to guide younger members and their commitment to developing into qualified young helpers.

Gabriella Garcia, Shyla Clarke and Aanniyah Robertson were recognised for their leadership, empathy, dedication, maturity and support of younger dancers within Yalta’s Dance Studio.

Jessie Chipol-Nunez received an award for his contribution to school and community life, advocacy for younger students and strong sense of service.

Youth Service Young Leaders Aaron Gines, Ebony Celecia, Sarah Wilkie, Kieran Richardson Fa, Calum Victor, Sami Santiago, Logan McCarthy, Mohamed Amin Khabbat, Vera Estella, Lewis Jarman and Deiliam Moreno Ruiz were recognised for taking on leadership and helper roles within youth club settings and for mentoring and supporting youth workers with empathy, care and resilience.

Childline Gibraltar Appropriate Adult Service was also recognised for providing support and compassionate advocacy over the past five years, ensuring young people do not face detention alone.

Mr Santos said: “It is an honour to recognise deserving young people and organisations serving young people. I am particularly glad to have introduced this award in recognition of their contribution to our community. These award recipients have gone above and beyond in their areas and have demonstrated inspirational leadership, empathy and commitment. It is extremely uplifting to see these young people thrive and excel as their successes will benefit them and our community. I am excited to see how these young people will continue to grow and develop in the future.”

He also thanked members of the public for submitting nominations and highlighted the importance of community participation in recognising and uplifting local talent. Attendees were reminded that achievement is measure by outcomes but also by the way individuals support one another, show kindness and contribute to our community.