Press Releases

3rd Annual Al-Awda Award (2009): Call for Submissions

 For Immediate Release

No. (E/037/08)

17 November 2008


 

Bethlehem, Palestine – The Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights has announced the launch of the 2009 Annual Al-Awda Awards competition, now in its third consecutive year. The Award is an initiative of Badil which aims to provide a platform for the use of creative expression to promote Palestinian cultural identity and Palestinian refugee rights, foremost among them the right to return.

 

The Annual Al-Awda Award was launched in 2007 with five cultural categories (Children's Stories, Nakba-Commemoration Poster, Oral History, Research Essay, and Documentary Film). In the second year, 2008, the Written Journalism category was also added. Based on the recommendation of participants and jury members, Badil has decided to suspend the oral history and documentary film categories. A category for Photographs taken by children (persons below the age of 18) was added in order to encourage the participation of children in the Award competition.

 

As such, the categories of the 2009 al-Awda Award are:

1) Best Children's Story;

2) Best Nakba Commemoration Poster;

3) Best Research Essay;

4) Best Article (Written Journalism);

5) Best Photograph (Photographer under 18)

 

Winners are selected by independent juries which include specialists in each field. General rules and regulations governing the Award are: all written entries must be submitted in the Arabic language; participants can participate in more than one of the competition categories, but are not permitted to make more than one submission within a single competition category; members of Badil's staff, board of directors, oversight committee, or juries are excluded from participation. Badil reserves its right to use, edit, and/or publish any and all materials submitted at its discretion.

 

The top three Award winners will receive monetary prizes of US$1000 for first place, US$600 for second place, and US$400 for third place, with the exception of the Best Photograph category (photographer under 18). Winners in this category will be awarded a digital camera valued at no less than $400 as well as a $400 cash prize for first place; $300 cash [prize for second place, and  $200 cash prize for third place. Up to seven honorable mention prizes will be granted for each category.

 

The deadline for participants to send their submissions to Badil is 16 March 2009.

 

Winners will be announced and given their prizes at at the Al-Awda Award Festival in early-May. The Al-Awda Award Festivals have drawn large audiences in the past and are attended by well-known Palestinian cultural and political personalities,  as well as jury members, local and international media.

 


To learn more about the Award and the conditions for submissions in each category, please visit:

http://www.badil.org/awda-award

 

For inquiries and communication contact:

[email protected]

Phone: +972-2-277-7086

Fax: +972-2-274-7346