DHANGADHI: Focusing on youth talent and given the current pandemic situation, three organizations have collaborated to bring a poetry writing contest to encourage youths. Daya Foundation and Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid-town in collaboration with UNICEF Nepal have organized this poetry contest. The winners and finalists will be announced on November 27 at 05:00PM at the live webinar. UNICEF will have few of the poetries recited during their November 20, World Children’s Day Festival.
In their recent study, UNICEF revealed that there was 40 percent increase in youth depressive illnesses and suicide rates, especially among females, since COVID. We hope this kind of initiative will provide a platform and encourage youths to share their feelings and emotions and give hope. The top 10 finalists will also present their poems live at a webinar on November 27.
The theme of this contest is “Emotional/Mental Well-being and Cultural Identity” to address the growing mental and emotional health issues especially among youths and the importance of culture in helping to define one’s own identity. The contest is open to youths from age group 15 to 30-year-old.
The participants are encouraged to submit their original writing in Nepali or English on topics related to “Emotional/Mental Well-Being”, “Cultural Identity” and “Cultural Identity supporting Emotional/Mental Well-Being” or any topic of choice in line with these three by November 15, 2020. 5 winners from each language category will be awarded NRs. 10,000/- each. The panel of judges consists of experienced and qualified literary experts:
1) English Category: Poet and writer, James C Hopkins, Lisa Choegyal, Past President Rotary Club Kathmandu Midtown and Tania Dhakhwa, Chief of Communication, UNICEF.
2) Nepali Category: Anoopam Pokhrel, Faculty and poet, Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management, Man Bahadur Mukhiya, Poet and Faculty Xavier Academy, and Ram Prasad Dahal, Faculty Kathmandu Engineering College.
The judges will unanimously select 5 winners from their respective category and the winners will present their poetry in a live webinar.
This collaborative effort was initiated by Neeva M. Pradhan, Founding Member and past President, Daya Foundation which is a non-profit organization that provides financial, technical and volunteer assistance to different projects in the areas of Education, Health and Culture. This contest is part of Daya Foundation’s initiative to promote Culture. Daya Foundation President Rajesh B Pradhan encourages such collaborative effort for the foundation. As the Immediate Past President Rotary Club of Kathmandu Mid-town, Neeva Pradhan coordinates the “Young Professional Vocational/Skills Training”. The objective is to help develop youth skills and equips them with various tools to be applicable in the practical field. Rotary Club President, Ltn. Gen. KNS Thapa is encouraged to see such partnership to benefit the youth groups including the Rotaracts and Interacts. UNICEF Nepal is collaborating with the above two institutions to raise awareness in Mental Health during the month of November in celebration of World Children’s Day.
Further details of the contest and the organizers can be found in their respective Facebook pages. Other partnering institutions are Xavier Academy, Kathmandu Engineering College, Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management, Team NEPO, Kathmandu University, Rotary clubs, Rotaract and Interact Clubs, Rupy’s International School and few other schools, colleges and organizations that have encouraged their youths to participate in this initiative.
