CONTEST "AGORA 2011"

AGORA Platform announces for a third consecutive year Contest "AGORA" for the Most Successful Civic Initiative implemented by a Chitalishte.

The Contest will award practices, projects and initiatives implemented by Chitalishtes in 2011 that have stimulated civic participation in community problem solving, responded to real community needs, mobilized support for various causes, enhanced the solidarity and trust, and supported building active communities for local development. We expect the submitted entries to focus on the role of Chitalishte as a civic organization and community development center.

The Contest is organized by AGORA Platform in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Republic of Bulgaria, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, VIVACOM, Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria, University Press "St. Kliment Ohridski" and United Bulgarian Bank with the media support of dir.bg, dnes.bg and ngobg.info (Information Portal of Bulgarian NGOs).

For the first time ever in the framework of the Contest "AGORA", the Ministry of Culture will award a Chitalishte - Contest participant with a special certificate "Contribution to the Development of Chitalishtes".

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE

Chitalishtes from all over the country could participate if they have implemented by their own or in a partnership civic initiatives for the development of their community. The entry should demonstrate a real and visible result achieved in 2011, regardless of whether it started the previous calendar year. Each Chitalishte may submit unlimited number of entries, however only one will be nominated.

THE APPLICATION

The Chitalishtes applying for the Contest should present their initiatives in the Contest entry form . The Contest entry should involve the following:

• Information for the applicant Chitalishte - name, address for correspondence, e-mail and phone number for contact.

• Information for the civic initiative, including: name and brief explanation of the initiative (maximum half page), what are the community benefits, how are the citizens/citizen's groups and partners involved in the initiative, funding organization, programme, project, etc.

• Photos with good quality and a brief explanation illustrating the initiative (3 photos).

PROCEDURES AND ASSESSMENT

The entries will be assessed in two stages.

First stage: The Contest Jury, consisting of 10 members will go through the submitted entries and will nominate 10 initiatives for the final round. The Jury nominations have to meet the following assessment criteria:

• Impact and benefits to the community;
• Level of civic participation and local community activism;
• Originality of the approach;
• Application and adaptability among the Chitalishte network.

The nominated entries will be posted on Platform AGORA's web site, the Contest web site, Facebook profile of the Contest, as well as on the partners' web sites.

Second stage: The Contest winner will be chosen by the audience during the official ceremony where the nominated 10 initiatives will be presented live by the Chitalishtes.

AWARDS

The winner will receive a sculpture "AGORA 2011", designed by the author Mariana Kusheva, together with a Certificate and the amount of 1 000 BGN, provided by Platform AGORA.

The Contest Jury will also award three initiatives for a specific contribution to the local community development in the following fields: "Solidarity and Humanity", "Most Productive Partnership" and "Art and Culture for Development". The Chitalishtes will be awarded special "AGORA 2011" plates, a Certificate, monetary and material prizes, provided by the partners of the Contest "AGORA 2011".

Each of the nominated initiatives will receive plate and certificate from Contest "AGORA 2011" and material prizes, provided by the partners of the Contest.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

In order to participate the Chitalishte should fill in a Contest entry form and either e-mail it to office@agora-bg.org or send it by post to the following address: 1606 Sofia, 43, Totleben Blvd., apt. 6, Platform AGORA, FOR CONTEST AGORA 2011.

The deadline for submission of entries is February 20th, 2012.

The Contest is organized by AGORA Platform in partnership with

REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE	CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION	VIVACOM
Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria	University Press "St. Kliment Ohridski"	UNITED BULGARIAN BANK

with the media support of