riyadh

[isabella wm]

Professor Yunus attended today's agfund prize ceremonies - see eg

http://www.agfund.org/en/media/news/agfund_news/Pages/6-1-2012.aspx

Riyadh shall be witnessing a developmental event with the participation of international experts, as the Committee of AGFUND International Prize for the Pioneering Human Development Projects, shall hold its 13th Meeting under the Chairmanship of His Highness Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz, the President of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND). This meeting is scheduled be held on Wednesday, January 11,2012 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh and comes in order to approve the AGFUND Prize winning projects in the year, 2011 and the prize subjects for the year, 2012.

The total number of projects nominated for the Prize in its four categories, reached 73 projects from 66 countries. The Prize subject that these projects competed about was: “Empowering Youth through Entrepreneurships and Job Opportunities”

• First Category: The role of international organizations in supporting the developing countries' national policies and programs for empowering youth through entrepreneurships and job opportunities. (For projects implemented by UN, international or regional organizations)

 • Second Category: NGOs-led efforts to empowering youth through entrepreneurships and job opportunities. (For projects implemented by national NGOs).

 • Third Category: The governmental bodies’ efforts in adoption of pioneering entrepreneurships for empowering youth and increasing their job opportunities. ((For projects by government ministries and public institutions). • Fourth Category: Individual-led efforts to empowering youth through entrepreneurships and job opportunities. (For projects initiated, sponsored and/or implemented by individuals).

The nominated projects, which met the conditions, were evaluated with high objectivity and transparency with qualified experts and in accordance with the criteria set in the Prize statute. The Prize Committee is composed a number of distinguished world personalities representing the world’s regions H. E. Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Ali, President of the Islamic Development Bank Group, Professor Mohamed Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and Nobel Prize Peace Laureate, Signora. Minafra Mercedes de Battle, the former first lady of Uruguay and president of “All for Uruguay” Association, Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne MP, Member of the British Parliament, Founder and Chairman of the AMAR International Charitable Foundation, Dr. / Youssef Sayed Abdulla, Former Director General of the OPEC fund for International Development.

[isabella wm]

2009 Prize Award winners were

The Prize Committee approved three winning projects from among (39) projects from 33 countries in 4 continents: THE FIRST CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for “The role of international organizations in supporting the developing countries' national policies and programs to improve agricultural output through adoption of innovative technology solutions” Won by” Prosperity Realization through Irrigation and Smallholders Markets” (PRISM Implemented by the International Development Enterprise (IDE) in 10 developing countries; Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nicaragua.

THE SECOND CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for ” NGOs-led efforts to support and encourage small farmers in the poor communities to apply new technologies to increase their agricultural products”. Won by "Establishing Agro-incubator Zepce, Bosnia & Herzegovina Implemented by the Association of entrepreneurs and employers of Zepce. THE THIRD CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for “ The role of governments in adoption of new technology solutions to improve agricultural output” Won by “Rural Employment Project, Algeria, Implemented by the Direction General des Forets. THE FOURTH CATEGORY PRIZE; allocated for ” Individual-led initiatives to introduce new technologies for increasing the agricultural product of small farmers.