ERBIL, Kurdistan — On Tuesday morning at Erbil International Hotel, spokespeople from Rwanga Foundation’s public relations and projects departments together with representatives from sponsors Carrefour, Legacy Construction, Fastlink and Rixos Hotel announced the second annual Rwanga Awards ceremony celebrating youth talent in Kurdistan.
Unlike Rwanga Awards of 2014 hosted in Kurdistan’s capital city of Erbil, this year’s ceremony will arise in Sulaimani, at the Talary Hunar (Arts Palace). The impetus for Rwanga Foundation’s decision to hold the event in Sulaimani is to demonstrate that the ceremony is for all of Kurdistan; each year Rwanga Awards will be hosted in a different city.
Due in part to last year’s success as a pilot project, this year Rwanga was able to attract sponsorship from well established companies in Kurdistan. However, success of last year’s ceremony recognizing youth talent is not the only reason sponsors have come forth to donate. Kurdistan is coping with a magnitude of simultaneous security crises (e.g. financial, military, humanitarian, energy) which have greatly impacted citizens and residents in recent time. Sponsors were especially drawn to get involved with Rwanga Awards because of the dire need to remain steadfast in the crucial pursuit of both retaining and cultivating youth talent.
This year’s competition will accept work from youth in Kurdistan across seven different sectors: entrepreneurship, photography, recycled art, scientific innovation, short film, short story and solo musician. Talent sectors were chosen by the foundation based on a vision for youth and their needs. One winner will be selected for each category based on their submitted work before their respective panel of judges.
The deadline for submissions is on November 11, 2015.
