Deadline Extended on ADB-Sponsored Student Essay Competition
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - ADB has extended by one month the deadline for the ongoing student essay competition on Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific. The competition, organized by ADB and ROAD, a network of Japanese university students concerned about development issues, is part of a week of educational events that will precede ADB’s 40th Annual Meeting, to be held in Kyoto, Japan, 6-7 May 2007. The competition provides an opportunity to publicize the vision of today’s youth for the future world in which they will live, work, and govern. The original deadline of 31 October 2006 has been changed to 30 November 2006 in order to allow more university students to participate. Essays have already been submitted from more than 20 countries. English-language essays of up to 2,000 words are invited from university students aged 18-29 years who are citizens of ADB’s developing member countries, as well as Japanese students at Japanese universities. The essays – written from a country or regional perspective – should address one of three specific topics: 1) economic growth and environmental conservation; 2) human resource development and institutions; or 3) industry and infrastructure. Three development experts will judge the essays on the basis of originality and creativity of thought, structure and coherence of arguments, awareness of sustainable development within the context of the essayist’s environment and realities, and relevance to the competition’s themes. Neither expert knowledge of the topic chosen nor perfect English language grammar are criteria. Fifteen winners will be selected from across ADB’s five regional departments – Central and West Asia, East Asia, the Pacific, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. An additional ten winners will be chosen from among students at Japanese universities, including seven students hailing from ADB's developing member countries and three Japanese citizens. All 25 winners will be invited to Kyoto to actively participate in a week-long series of educational activities culminating in the two-day Youth Forum on Sustainable Development in March 2007. The Forum will provide winning essayists with the opportunity to deliberate on sustainable development issues. The event will conclude with adoption of a Youth Statement on Sustainable Development, which will be presented at ADB’s 40th Annual Meeting. In addition, the winning essays will be assembled and published in a book. Essays must be submitted online. Those without access to the Internet can submit their essays to the nearest ADB field office. The competition is being financed by the Japan Special Fund, which was established in coordination with the Government of Japan to provide financial support for ADB's technical assistance programs, and is administered by ADB. About ADB | 
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