Public Honours

The Edinburgh Award

The Edinburgh Award was established in 2007 and is now a prestigious annual award to honour an outstanding individual who has made a positive impact on the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh. 

Nominations for the Edinburgh Award 2023 are now open. Nominations close at 5pm on 2 October 2023.

Criteria

The individual

  • was born in Edinburgh, has lived in the city for the past 12 months or has a substantial association with Edinburgh
  • has not previously been awarded The Freedom of the City
  • is not a previous winner of The Edinburgh Award
  • is not a serving politician.

The recipient is presented with an engraved Loving Cup at a ceremony hosted by the Lord Provost and has their hand prints reproduced on a flagstone in the City Chambers quadrangle.

Nominate someone for the Edinburgh Award

Edinburgh Award recipients

  • 2022 Sir Geoff Palmer
  • 2021 Fergus Linehan
  • 2020 Alexander McCall Smith
  • 2019 Ann Budge
  • 2018 Doddie Weir
  • 2017 Sir Timothy O'Shea
  • 2016 Ken Buchanan MBE
  • 2015 Sir Tom Farmer 
  • 2014 Thomas Gilzean
  • 2013 Richard Demarco
  • 2012 Dame Elizabeth Blackadder
  • 2011 Professor Peter Higgs
  • 2010 George Kerr CBE
  • 2009 Sir Chris Hoy MBE
  • 2008 JK Rowling OBE
  • 2007 Ian Rankin OBE