Rotaract Club of Baku InternationalEssay Writing Competition’33 Project Overview
Youth is not only the future, but it is also our present. Young people of 18-30 years of age make up to 33% of the population of Azerbaijan Republic with the half of them living in rural areas. Worldwide more than one fifth of our planet population is between the ages of 12 and 24.
Over the last years, consultations with youth and research work have demonstrated that youth can make a difference in fighting poverty through their actions and advocacy activities in youth organizations. Young people are key agents of change, but too often the nature and impact of their projects is not recognized or documented sufficiently, and youth face difficulties being heard and engaged more directly in civil society.
In order to learn from youth how they can make a difference in reducing poverty and to deliver their voice to all interested government and non-government agencies, Rotaract Club of Baku International would like to launch the Essay Writing Competition’33 Project.
This project will be a countrywide competition for youth aged 18-25 and managed by a team of Rotaractors resided in Baku , capital city of Azerbaijan . Our project will invite young people from all over the country to reflect on how they make a difference by addressing the following questions: How does poverty affect your life? and What can we do to fight the poverty? As result of a massive communication and promotion campaign we will involve as many young people in this project as possible. Moreover, this project will be a wonderful tool to promote and develop English language and essay writing skills among young people living in our country (especially in rural areas).
Implementation This project will be implemented in five phases/steps. Competition will start with Phase 1 which is a project launching and receiving essay submissions. During this phase we will send announcements to online list-serves, sites and networks, we’ll hang flyers at the universities as well as other public places for youth. There will be also announcements placed in newspapers and a big public presentation will be given to raise awareness about this project.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS MAY 4, 2008APPLICATION FORM IS ATTACHED TO THIS E-MAIL During Phase 2 essays will be reviewed and ranked by SelCom/Jury members. Essay Competition finalists/winners (33 best ranked authors) will be announced during Phase 3. Phase 4 will be a key part of our project. Eleven finalists/winners will be invited to attend essay presentation ceremony during which they will present their essays and receive diplomas and special gifts including cellphones, computer accessories and books. During a two day retreat successful finalists will receive lectures from specialists and experts about the role of young people in poverty reduction and how they can be more active in their local communities. After all as part of Phase 5, final report and project outcomes will be written, analyzed and submitted to all interested government and non-government organizations.
Report will also include the best ranked 33 essays. Special press release will be submitted to mass media as well. Technical Eligibility Requirements Candidates will be considered without respect to race, colour, religion, national origin, or gender. Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Our competition is merit-based and open to anyone who: · Is a citizen or permanent resident of Azerbaijan Republic between ages 18-25; · Submits a complete application by the deadline; · Is proficient in spoken and written English at the time of application;Applications not meeting the above technical eligibility requirements will not be forwarded to the selection committee. Selection Process and Criteria This project is implemented as a merit-based open competition. After the deadline, all eligible essays will be reviewed by a panel of five selection committee members. Successful 33 essay authors scored the rest number of points will be notified of their status in May 2008.
Rotaract Rotaract is one of a series of youth programs created by Rotary International, which focuses on the development of young adults as leaders in their communities and workplaces by training and community service, locally and worldwide. Rotaract was founded in 1968 by Rotary International, a worldwide association of service-minded business and professional leaders. Today there are more than 7,500 Rotary-sponsored Rotaract Clubs in some 156 countries around the world, with over 173,000 members. "Rotaract" stands for "Rotary in Action". Most Rotaract activities take place at the club level. Rotaract clubs hold formal meetings, usually every two weeks, which feature speakers, special outings, social activities, discussions or visits to other clubs. Club members get together on designated days for service project work, social events, or professional/ leadership development workshopsRotaract Club is a place where young people come to stay in touch with friends, meet new people, develop their leadership and express themselves. The purpose of Rotaract is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance their knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social needs of their communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service. At the same time Rotaract provides a foundation for young people to enhance their educational and career goals, to organize their worthy leisure and entertainment, to maintain effective cooperation among its members on local and international levels, to improve and develop mutual understanding, to bridge and unite different groups of youth, and to uphold diversity and pluralism within community. The goals of Rotaract are to develop professional and leadership skills; to emphasize respect for the rights of others, and to promote ethical standards and the dignity of all useful occupations; to provide opportunities for young people to address the needs and concerns of the community and our world; to provide opportunities for working in cooperation with sponsoring Rotary clubs; and to motivate young people for eventual membership in Rotary. For more information please contact toGeysar GurbanovProject LeaderEssay Writing Competition' 33Rotaract Club of Baku International Cell phone: 050-686-8008E-mail: geysar_gurbanov@ yahoo.com
