|
||||
home > Media services > News > EUN organises successful Development Youth Prize competition EUN organises successful Development Youth Prize competition From 12-14 November 2006, European Schoolnet and the European Commission welcomed in Brussels the 50 winners and runners-up of the Development Youth Prize 2006, an art competition for EU schools focusing this year on Africa. The pupils were accompanied by their 25 teachers from all around Europe. As a European Commission initiative for students between the ages of 16 and 18, the Development Youth Prize 2006 was organised by European Schoolnet. The challenge was to highlight development issues relating to health, education and environment in an artistic way. It is the first edition of this initiative and the competition focused this year on Africa. Entries were submitted via a website in the form of a poster, photo or multimedia presentation. The winners were selected out of more than 751 entries, representing schools from all European Member States. A European network of experts from Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Development supported the Commission in choosing the winners. A winner, his/her teacher and a runner-up from each EU member state were invited for a three-day trip to Brussels, giving them an opportunity to meet and exchange views on development with experts and artists from Europe and Africa. On the agenda was: the prize-giving ceremony under the patronage of Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid; a visit to the European Parliament; an African comic strip exhibition; a sight-seeing tour and discussions and dinners with members of the European Commission’s DG Development. Commissioner Michel awarded national winners during a ceremony which took place in the European Commission’s Press Room in the prestigious Berlaymont building in Brussels. Odile de Chalendar, Chair of European Schoolnet, first welcomed the participants and Bernard Petit, Deputy Director General of DG Development and Relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific States, introduced the prize-giving ceremony. After a speech on development cooperation, Commissioner Michel distributed the certificates to the winners. At the same time all invited guests could see their contribution in a flash presentation. Malick Pathé Sow and his musical band from Senegal performed throughout the whole ceremony. In addition, students and teachers also had the opportunity to meet other African artists who commented on their work during a comic strip exhibition, which presented the entire spectrum of the world of African comics. The 3-day trip was part of the European Development Days which took place in Brussels from 13-17 November 2006 in order to enhance public awareness about development cooperation and strengthen the effectiveness of the European Union's development assistance. The 25 national winners of the Development Youth Prize 2006 will accompany Commissioner Michel on a visit to an African country in Spring 2007, where they will have a unique opportunity to see how development cooperation works on the ground. About Development Days:
|
|||||||||
