Celebration reception to honour winners of Edinburgh 900 writing competitions
A celebratory reception was held on Thursday at the City Chambers to honour the winners of two Edinburgh 900 themed writing competitions.
Hosted by the Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, the event recognised the creativity and talent of local writers who submitted original works inspired by Edinburgh's remarkable nine-century history.
The two featured competitions included the Green Pencil Award 2024, aimed at school-aged children (P4 to S3) attending Edinburgh schools or home-educated in the city, and a city-wide poetry writing competition organised through Edinburgh's library network, open to adult residents.
The Edinburgh 900 initiative commemorates 900 years since the Royal Burgh was established by King David I around 1124. In honour of this historic milestone, residents were invited to share their reflections, memories, and love for Scotland's capital through poetry and storytelling.
Lord Provost with Highly Commended Green Pencil entrant Marcus Osborne
Lord Provost with Highly Commended Green Pencil entrant Sofia Brown (wearing green jumper) and her family Lord Provost with overall Green Pencil Award winner Ema Mene and her family
Lord Provost with overall Green Pencil Award winner Ema Mene
Lord Provost with Highly Commended Green Pencil entrant Isobel Rhys-Davies and her family
Both competitions highlighted Edinburgh's rich heritage, cultural vibrancy, and strong community spirit. Six winning entries from the poetry competition will be immortalised on exclusive bookmarks to be distributed across Council-run libraries throughout the city. The winning poets will also be filmed reciting their work, with the recordings shared across the Council's social media channels and preserved as part of the Edinburgh 900 archive for future generations.
The winners are Shasta Hanif Ali, Eric Robinson, Rory Allison, Tricia Ronaldson and Suzanne Smith.
The Green Pencil Award encouraged young people to express their voices creatively in written form, with entries limited to one side of A4 and open to stories or poems in any style. Twenty finalists were selected, with one crowned the overall winner and presented with the prestigious Green Pencil Award trophy and winner's medal.
The Green Pencil was awarded to Preston Street Primary 7 pupil Ema Mene for her poem 'To Edinburgh She Went'.
Highly commended: Isobel Rhys-Davies, Cargilfield School (P6); Marcus Osborne, Bruntsfield Primary School (P6B); and Sofia Brown, James Gillespie's High School (S1).
The Lord Provost Robert Aldridge praised all entrants for their enthusiasm and passion: 'Creative writing ensures our stories are told and remembered. Edinburgh 900 is not only a celebration of the past but also a platform to inspire the future. These competitions show how deeply people care about the city and its legacy.
'Edinburgh has long been a city where literature thrives, as we mark 900 years these wonderful written pieces provide another meaningful way to honour the city's legacy through the words of its people. My congratulations to our fantastic winners.'
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