RED CROSS COMPETITION TO UNDERSTAND EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE ON YOUNG LIVES

By Nor Faridah Abd Rashid

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) is launching a global 'Young Reporter' competition to give youth a
stronger voice concerning today's most pressing humanitarian issues -- from mass
displacement caused by war to the lifelong and devastating impact of landmines.

According to the Geneva-based ICRC, the competition is aimed at enabling people
between the ages of 18 and 25 to better understand how violence affected young
lives and share their views on armed conflicts with others.

ICRC director of international law Philip Spoerri said the contest aimed at
providing a basis for young people to listen to and learn from each other, and
"for us to learn from them".

“We hope the contest will put the spotlight on the challenges they face in war,
while amplifying their shared hopes, ideas and dreams," he said in a news
release posted on the ICRC website. The ICRC has a regional delegation office
here.

Spoerri said, while hostilities could take an unimaginable toll on children and
young adults, yet, too often, they lacked the means to make their concerns
heard, winding up suffering in silence.

Each of the four winners of the competition will be invited to travel to a
country affected by armed conflict, namely Georgia, Lebanon, Liberia or the
Philippines, where they will be able to talk with other young people who have
lived through fighting or suffered its consequences.

Each will be hosted by an ICRC delegation and will have the opportunity to see
activities run by the ICRC and/or the National Red Cross Society in the country
concerned. In addition, the young reporters will receive coaching on writing
about humanitarian issues from ICRC experts.

ICRC Youth Project head, Nicole Martins-Maag, said that listening to the news or
reading an article your friend shared on Facebook was not the same as coming
face-to-face with someone of the same age and really understanding what they had
endured.

"This is a golden opportunity for some talented young adults to discover a new
culture, challenge their perceptions, exchange views on important topics and
give a voice to other youths. It's also a chance to stand up and say, in their
own words, what needs to change."

At the end of their weeklong visit, each winner will be expected to produce a
'story from the field', which will be presented at a special event next year in
Geneva on World Red Cross Red Crescent Day, which takes place every year on May
8.

To be eligible for the contest, the ICRC said applicants should have strong
communication skills. They should be interested in youth issues, desire to do
something that will have an effect on people's lives, and have done voluntary
work related to social or humanitarian services.

Aspiring young reporters must submit an article, photo essay or short video on a
humanitarian challenge of their choice. Entries will be judged on the basis of
editorial quality, originality and relevance.

Candidates must be between the ages of 18 and 25, have an international passport
and be available for travel in January or February, next year.

The deadline for submissions is Oct 1. Winners will be notified by Nov 1. For
full entry details, please go to:http://www.icrc.org/eng/competition
-- BERNAMA