Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize: The Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize in the amount of $50,000 is awarded biannually to an individual or organization chosen by a distinguished panel of judges.

The goal of this award is to enhance awareness of the critical role of religious dialogue in the pursuit of peace as well as to provide direct support for the furtherance of such activities.

Prize Award Criteria:

A panel of judges composed of religious leaders, academics and individuals known for their commitment to interfaith dialogue will consider the recent and career accomplishments of nominees.

Award recipients will have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, courage and a capacity for inspiring in others a willingness to embrace the vulnerability that is the key to true religious dialogue.

Prize Eligibility:

Any living individual or organization that the nominator believes has contributed to the promotion of constructive dialogue and/or relations between faith communities.

Prize Criteria:

The committee invites nominators to consider a wide-range of activities.

A nominee may, for example, have organized members of different faith communities to work toward a common goal; produced a work of art or literature that contributes to or publicizes the importance of interfaith dialogue; or uses a position of authority or power to bring faith communities together.

Nominees may be designated on the basis of a single contribution or a lifetime of contributions.

Prize Nomination Procedures:

Nominators should provide a brief description of themselves (no more than 100 words) and a two page letter describing the individual or organization being nominated and the activities the nominator believes qualify the nominee for consideration.

Nominators should explain why the nominee’s activities are of an exceptional nature.

For more information and scholarship applications, see: Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize

Apply for Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize

Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize: The Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize in the amount of $50,000 is awarded biannually to an individual or organization chosen by a distinguished panel of judges.

The goal of this award is to enhance awareness of the critical role of religious dialogue in the pursuit of peace as well as to provide direct support for the furtherance of such activities.

Prize Award Criteria:

A panel of judges composed of religious leaders, academics and individuals known for their commitment to interfaith dialogue will consider the recent and career accomplishments of nominees.

Award recipients will have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, courage and a capacity for inspiring in others a willingness to embrace the vulnerability that is the key to true religious dialogue.

Prize Eligibility:

Any living individual or organization that the nominator believes has contributed to the promotion of constructive dialogue and/or relations between faith communities.

Prize Criteria:

The committee invites nominators to consider a wide-range of activities.

A nominee may, for example, have organized members of different faith communities to work toward a common goal; produced a work of art or literature that contributes to or publicizes the importance of interfaith dialogue; or uses a position of authority or power to bring faith communities together.

Nominees may be designated on the basis of a single contribution or a lifetime of contributions.

Prize Nomination Procedures:

Nominators should provide a brief description of themselves (no more than 100 words) and a two page letter describing the individual or organization being nominated and the activities the nominator believes qualify the nominee for consideration.

Nominators should explain why the nominee’s activities are of an exceptional nature.

For more information and scholarship applications, see: Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize

The post Apply for Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Many more people will survive and recover from emergencies such as earthquakes, floods and famines if international aid agencies boost local organisations’ ability to respond, a Christian Aid report says today.

‘One of the best ways to reduce the suffering and devastation caused by disasters in poor countries is to strengthen local people’s ability to prevent them in the first place – and respond quickly if the worst does happen,’ said Katherine Nightingale, the author of the new study and Humanitarian Policy Adviser at Christian Aid.

‘But that requires the international community to pay more than lip-service to the huge importance of national and local organisations in vulnerable countries which are the first on the scene to help people in the wake of catastrophes.

‘It means shifting money and power away from international aid agencies and the UN  towards local agencies and partnerships with national institutions, which are best placed to prevent and respond to disasters.

‘This absolutely isn’t a call for the international organisations to abandon their efforts but it is encouraging them to get better at working in genuine partnership with poor countries’ local and national organisations and governments, with all the shifts of power and resources that implies.’

The new report – Building the Future of Humanitarian Aid – notes that while the need for international humanitarian organisations to work more closely with national and local organisations is widely acknowledged, in practice there remains a long way to go.

‘The reality is that despite the policy commitments and growing evidence-base of the importance of local capacity and the need to work in genuine partnerships, there are some repeated and disheartening lessons that emerge from many humanitarian responses,’ it warns.

‘These indicate that local capacities are frequently undermined or excluded, often systematically…Southern partnerships are sometimes in name only and partners are treated as a pipeline for delivery, with little sense of sustainability of work.’

For instance after the Haitian earthquake of 2010, UN co-ordination work was criticised for excluding national and local organisations in favour of international NGOs, through the language that was used, the locations of meetings and other decisions.

However, there are also positive examples. In Ethiopia, training has enabled local organisations to have more access and influence in international emergency coordination meetings. And in Haiti, despite the exclusion difficulties, local and national organisations were able to deliver rapid emergency relief following the earthquake, with support and accompaniment from international NGOs, including Christian Aid.

Building the Future of Humanitarian Aid calls on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to set up a high level panel to review disaster prevention and response lessons from major emergencies such as the Haitian earthquake, Pakistan floods and Asian Tsunami. The review should lead to the inclusion of disaster prevention work in the framework which follows the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) after 2015.

The report also argues for radical, urgent reforms to the funding of emergency prevention and response work. ‘Donors, UN co-ordination mechanisms and national government must fund, coordinate and deliver emergency responses as if local capacity mattered,’ it states.

One proposal is that the United Nations should move towards only funding emergency aid work if that work involves a local government or civil society organisation in a lead role. Another suggestion is that international alliances of aid organisations should try to prevent their members doing emergency response work in countries where they have no previous experience, and instead coordinate to channel funds through alliance members with history and experience in those countries.

The report is available here: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/building-the-future-of-humanitarian-aid.pdf

It will be launched at a panel discussion held jointly with ALNAP (Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action) at Christian Aid’s London office tomorrow (Wednesday March 28) between 12.30-2pm.

Members of the media wishing to attend please RSVP Andrew Hogg on 07872 350534 or email ahogg@christianaid.org.uk

For more information and to interview Katherine Nightingale, please contact Andrew Hogg on 0207 523 2058 or 07872 350534.

Notes to Editors

1. Christian Aid works in some of the world’s poorest communities in nearly 50 countries. We act where the need is greatest, regardless of religion, helping people build the lives they deserve.

2. Christian Aid has a vision, an end to global poverty, and we believe that vision can become a reality. Our report, Poverty Over, explains what we believe needs to be done – and can be done – to end poverty.  Details at http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/poverty-over-report.pdf

3.  Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of 100 churches and church-related organisations that work together inhumanitarian assistance and development.  Further details at http://www.actalliance.org

4. Follow Christian Aid’s newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire

5. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit www.christianaid.org.uk

Andrew Hogg

News Editor,

Christian Aid,

PO Box 100.

London SE1 7RT

0207 523 2058/

07872 350534

ahogg@christian-aid.org

@Caid_newswire

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Zeitgeist Young Minds Competition is a competition to find 10 pioneers, innovators, change-makers and leaders of tomorrow aged 18 – 24 across Europe, Middle East and Africa* to take their place alongside the greatest innovators of today at Google Zeitgeist 2012.

Previous Young Minds finalists won an experience of a lifetime, from meeting Chelsea Clinton and Will I Am, to taking part in panel discussions with Jon Snow and Martha Lane Fox (Co-founder Lastminute.com).

“My experience was magical, fantastic and powerful! What I enjoyed most was the innovative, energetic and creative atmosphere”Orli Setton, Zeitgeist Young Minds Europe winner 2011

Now it’s your turn, if you are you making a positive impact in the world through science, the arts, education, innovation or inspiration? Then you could have what it takes to be a Young Mind.

The search is now on to find 10 exceptional, motivated and inspiring 18-24 year-olds who will win a chance to attend a special programme of events and masterclasses held at this year’s Zeitgeist Europe 2012.

Competition Application

You may enter the Competition online by uploading a one-minute video in English (videos over one minute 30 seconds will be disqualified) to the Young Minds YouTube page.

Your Competition entry can be in any format or style in the theme of ‘How you’re making difference to the world’ and that is suitable for YouTube i.e. a video, images and sound. You can structure your competition entry how you like, but be clear and in English.

Any entries/submissions received, will automatically be entered into the competition and no other entry mechanic will be needed to be in with a chance of winning, as long as you meet the stated age and region restrictions.

All entrants will be contacted and asked to provide additional contact details that must be provided in order to be short-listed.

By entering into the competition you hereby licence to the Promoter (and third parties authorised by the Promoter) use of the video for the purposes of the Competition.

The Promoter may use, display, publish, transmit, copy, make derivative works or podcasts from, edit, alter, store, re-format, sell and sub-licence and otherwise exploit your submissions for any purposes (for the full period of any licence).

The deadline for all entries and submissions is Monday 19th March 2012. All entries must be uploaded to YouTube by 11:59pm (GMT).

Please do not leave any submissions or entries to the last minute because of possible technical errors, delays or other issues, which may delay or prevent you from uploading your entry by the closing time for the competition.

YouTube is not a sponsor of the competition and has no responsibility or liability regarding the conduct or administration of the competition.

For more scholarship information visit; Zeitgeist Young Minds Competition

More; Scholarships and Grants » Academic Scholarships » Education Scholarships

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We don’t know whether this one will please United States of America, England and other super powers that have interests in the political administration of Uganda. Every one would have expected Uganda to adopt rules, regulations and ordinances from USA or England. But the surprise is that among all countries Uganda wants to adopt rules of procedure from Philippine, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya.

A source in parliament of Uganda told our informer that Uganda wants to borrow a leaf from Philippine, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia where the parliament(s) there have more than two speakers of parliament. In Uganda, parliament has only two speakers: deputy speaker and parliament speaker.

The source says that government wants to have a panel of speakers to serve in the absence of the Deputy and Speaker of parliament.

However the members of opposition in Uganda say that the government wants to create a panel of speakers because the current speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has acted independently yet the ruling government wishes to have parliament speakers who nod on government terms all the time.

The post Uganda to adopt Philippine rules first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Study Subject: Management
Course Level: Postgraduate
Scholarship Provider: Aston Business School

Eligibility:

• Scholarships are only available to students applying for the fulltime MBA commencing September 2011
• Scholarships are only available for students who are self-funded (ie not sponsored by an organisation)
• All applicants will be informed of our decision early in August
• The decision of the Business School Scholarship Panel is final
• Aston Business School reserves the right to conduct a phone interview with suitable candidates
• Since these scholarships are limited, it is essential that you let us know by email if you wish to be considered within 10 days of your offer letter.

Aston graduates-A 10% discount on fees is available for all graduates of Aston University on all MBA programmes. If you want to be considered for a scholarship, you should submit an essay along with your completed application form. Please state clearly which scholarship you are applying for. If you have already submitted an MBA application form you are welcome to apply for a scholarship separately. Please ensure you state your full name and contact details (as stated in your MBA application) on your essay before submission. Separate scholarship applications without these details will not be considered.

Application Deadline: 30 June 2012

Further details:
http://www1.aston.ac.uk/aston-business-school/programmes/aston-mba/fees/scholarships/

The post MBA Scholarship at Aston Business School in UK first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS), Bangalore, and HIVOS Knowledge Programme, The Hague, kickstarted the 2011 Digital AlterNatives Video Contest on 15 December 2011. With the tagline of ‘To Be, To Think, To Act, To Connect’, the contest revolves around the theme of the ‘Everyday Digital Native’ and asks participants to share stories on what makes their everyday life ‘digital’.

“The Everyday Digital Native is hiding inside each of us. You ‘think’ digital. You connect using digital devices and gadgets. You act digital, always clicking, linking, tagging and Liking. You know what it means ‘To Be’ digital. It’s simply a way of life,” goes the catchphrase of the video contest.

The contest, which will run over the first year of the new year, through to April 2012, will progress through four main rounds. In the first stage, participants send in their written abstracts by 26^th January 2012, giving details of their video proposal and what inspired their story line. The proposals are then judged by a panel of jurists where 25 ideas get shortlisted to the next round. “The top 25 videos will be put up on both, CIS and HIVOS websites as well on the organization’s YouTube Channel, Super Digital Natives. The public will vote for their top ten favorites. Finally, the judges pick the two best videos among the ten,” say the organizers.

Unlike other video contests where only one winner gets to take it all, the Digital AlterNatives Video Contest will award the Top 10 videos the winning prize of EUR 500 each. All shortlisted videos also get a chance to be part of a film screening at CIS premises in Bangalore before the close of the contest in April next year. The two best video makers also get the ‘Digital AlterNatives with a Cause?’ books and loads of other CIS goodies, including a one year subscription to their favorite digital magazine.

A panel disucssion on ‘The Everyday Digital Native’ is also on the cards, where participants can discuss their ideas and inspiration for the videos at a workshop and interact with the judges. Judges for the video contest come from a wide-ranging spectrum of art, technology and society, including Sweden-based media-art historian, cultural theorist and psychoanalyst Leon Tan, documentary and feature film maker Shashwati Talukdar from India, Dutch installation and digital media artist Jeroen van Loon, ICT practiotioner and technology-for-communities acitvist Becky Band Jain from New York, Namita Aavriti from India, who’s a legal researcher and media practitioner, Mr Abinandhan Ramanujam, cinematographer from the south Indian film industry, HIVOS Knowledge Programme Officer Fieke Jansen, and CIS Director of Research Nishant Shah.

The video contest is part of the ‘Digital Natives with a Cause?’ project, a three year knowledge inquiry into the field of youth, technology and change undertaken jointly by CIS and HIVOS. “The project uncovers the ways in which young people in emerging ICT contexts make strategic use of technologies to bring about change in their immediate environments,” elaborates Shah. Ranging from personal stories of transformation to efforts at collective change, it aims to identify knowledge gaps that existing scholarship, practice and popular discourse around an increasing usage, adoption and integration of digital technologies in processes of social and political change.

The organizers are planning a Webinar in the beginning of 2012, where jury members will talk about the idea behind the contest and share tips with participants on how to go about sending in that winning video proposal.

There is no restrictive criteria such as age, language or nationality to apply to the contest. Entries can address topics such as, but are not restricted to digital activism, changing dynamics of relationships in a digital world, education and technology in the classroom, privacy and open data, social media and information sharing, new ways of collaboration, work and research, the rockstar status of hackers, the varied demographics of those who use digital technologies. The written proposals have to be sent in by 08 Janaury 2012 either through the online submission form available at CIS, India website (http://cis-india.org/digital-natives/contests) or through a Word Document via Email. Proposals have to be sent in English, however, the final video can be in any language with English subtitles.

Besides written proposals, the organizers are also anticipating creative submissions in the form of storyboards, sketches or a collage. “We encourage participants to explore the range of visual media at their disposal. Be it a short video narration or a power point presentation, we encourage participants to submit ideas through the medium that best conveys your story.” Organizers say that contestants have a free reign when it comes to the genre and execution of the script. The only stipulation being run-time: the video cannot exceed 10 minutes in run-time and the lower limit is set at 60 seconds.

 *********************************************************************************************************

The deadline for submission of written proposals is 26 January 2012.

For more information, visit contest page: http://cis-india.org/digital-natives/the-everyday-digital-native

Contact:

Nilofar Ansher

Community Manager: Digital Natives with a Cause?

Email: digitalnatives@cis-india.org | Twitter: @cis_india

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The Committee chaired by West Budama North MP  Fox Odoi proposes that four assistant Speakers who will be are appointed from the backbench at the commencement of each session of Parliament and any of them may be called upon to chair the House in absence of the substantive speaker and deputy speaker of parliament .

The MPS Rules committee noted that the practice already tried out in the Parliaments of Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Philippines would reduce on backlog in Parliamentary business.

Legislators have also proposed the alteration of the sitting arrangement inside the chamber of Parliament to provide for specific designated seats for the army representatives and independent MPs.

The current rules of procedure only provide for the government and Opposition sides in the House.
The Committee that was tasked to review the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure has also called for the amendment of rules for election of Members to the East African Legislative Assembly to conform with the constitution and the treaty establishing the East African Community.

If  this proposal approved by Parliament, the new rules would also provide for a definition of contempt of Parliament and the breach of Parliamentary privilege.

The report by MPS Contempt of Parliament  as any act which obstructs or impedes Parliament , a Member or an officer of Parliament in the performance of its functions, or discharge of his/her duties. Acts that are intended to mislead or deceive Parliament are construed as contempt of Parliament.

The Committee also provides proposals to allow MPs and journalists access the chamber with electronic gadgets, but with guidelines issued by the office of the Speaker.
Legislators are yet to debate and approve the proposals contained in the report tabled by the Parliament Rules Committee.

Ultimate Media

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Yesterday, a panel of three Constitutional Court justices led by Constance Byamugisha dismissed an application filed by government seeking to block Kwoyelo’s official release Friday.

Thomas Kwoyelo in court

The government had filed a constitutional application seeking to stay the court’s earlier decision that it had ordered the International Crimes Division of the high court to sit and officially release Kwoyelo. Government cited grounds that Kwoyelo is entitled to amnesty just like other ex-rebels who had renounced rebel activities.

Kwoyelo was expected to be released today but the panel of Judges at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Gulu, led by Justice Owiny Dolo has argued that Kwoyelo must acquire a certificate from the Amnesty Commission like the other former rebels before he can be released.

One of the lawyers representing Kwoyelo, Samuel Muyizi says Kwoyelo who was transported to Gulu yesterday, will be brought back to Luzira prison later today.

He adds that their next move is to pursue the issuance of the certificate and wait for the court’s decision.

Kwoyelo was battling over 53 charges of murder, willful killing and kidnap with intent to kill, aggravated robbery, and destruction of property during the two decade war in Northern Uganda led by Joseph Kony.

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