CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OF PLAYS: YOUNG PEOPLE’S DRAMA CONTEST

BACKGROUND

Today, there are more young people (constitute of 34% of the population) in Ghana than ever before, creating unprecedented engagement space. However, this space is yet to equip the youth with civic skills and training, comprehensive knowledge, tools and opportunities for their interactive participation and involvement in the development of their communities using civic initiatives and culture as entry points. To this end, the maiden edition of the Drama Contest, as part of the Civic Care project in Ghana under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Youth Civic Engagement Initiative in West Africa, aims at giving the youth a space and opportunity to voice-out, step-up and take actions on pertinent issues in their society, through the creativity of stage plays and the use of culture to promote development.

The ‘Civic-Care’ is an opportunity for every young person to connect and engage through civic-skills acquisition, designated space, and the use of knowledge products, mobile phone, mobile apps and social media to interactively participate in the development of his/her community.

The project is currently implemented by the Ulti-Leaf Foundation on behalf of the UNESO in 16 regions of Ghana. The project is a groundbreaking youth initiative for young people (in-school and out-ofschool) to voice-out, step-up and take civic actions in communities. In addition, participation 2 of young people aged 15- 35 years and youth organizations in the aforementioned project is free. This current project won the maiden edition of the UNESCO Youth Civic Engagement Contest in Anglophone West Africa, 2019, which is suited within the UNESCO Operational Strategy on Youth (2014-2021) under the UNESCO Regional Office, Abuja and aligned to the National Youth Policy of Ghana, Africa Youth Charter, UN Youth Strategy (2030), Sustainable Development Goals, UN Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, UN Security Council Resolution 2419 for Increasing Role of Youth in Negotiating, Implementing Peace Agreements among others.

The Ulti-Leaf Foundation (Ulti-Leaf) is a registered youth-led non-government body that supports Ghana’s developmental agenda through developing innovative solutions in urban and rural communities to empower youth. We also believe in connecting young-people to practical trainings and opportunities at the national and global levels for their personal development and contributions to community development based on their experiences, skills and situations as young-people.

At Ulti-Leaf Foundation, we firmly believe and agree with the Former UN Secretary – General ; the Late Kofi Annan statement in 2013 at Skoll World Forum– “ Just Imagine what solutions might be found if young people are given the space and encouragement to participate and lead’’.

As a youth-led project, it is important to note that, ‘Civic-Care’ is for the youth of Ghana, Africa and the United Nations.

OBJECTIVES

• To increase civic knowledge among the youth, visibility of civic initiatives and opportunities for youth involvement and participation in civic activities.

• To develop youth civic specific knowledge products including stage plays

TARGET AGE GROUP

 This opportunity targets young people in-school (Senior High School Drama Groups) and outof-school (Community youth) aged 15 -18years to participate and each target group would be required to submit; A) Submission of Manuscripts; based on any of the themes below

B) Stage a Play; upon submission of manuscripts, participants/groups shall be required to stage a play based on manuscript submitted and related to the themes of this contest. The plays shall be staged before a panel as constituted by the organizers of this contest in participants’ school and/or in communities. These stage plays shall be evaluated first by a panel of judges and recorded for final evaluation.

ELIGIBILITY OF PARTICIPANTS/GROUPS

 · Participants should be between the ages of 15-18-years at the time of submission( inschool and out-of-school)

· Participants should be Ghanaian or resident in Ghana. · Works submitted should be principally that of the participant/group.

 · Participants who do not follow all guidelines would have their entries disqualified.

· Selected participants/groups shall be required to give a signed consent for the use of their plays.

· Selected participants/actors/actress/groups shall be required to provide proof of age, nationality or residency.

THEMES FOR SUBMISSION

Participants/groups are required to submit their manuscripts and stage plays relating to one or two of the following four themes below;

· Using culture to promote One or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) of the United Nations (http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

UNSSC Explainer Videos Explain the SDG Basics

http://sdgshelpdesk.unescap.org/learning-videos http://youtu.be/9-xdy1Jr2eg )

 · UN Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security (including upcoming 2020 General Elections in Ghana) Information on UNR2250: http://unoy.org/en/2250-toolkit https://www.youth4peace.info/UNSCR2250/Introduction

 · Sanitation, Pollution and Climate Change

· Inequalities related to;

1. Persons with Disabilities
2. Breaking Silence and Secrecy to prevent/end and report on violence and abuse against women, girls and boys, and promoting women’s rights in communities
3. Migrants and Refugees in Ghana

SUBMISSION OF MANUSCRIPTS

Submission process is as outlined below; · Submission of manuscripts to the email (info@ulti-leaf.org ), title of email should include “YDC, theme of competition being entered (SDGs, UNR2250), school/community, name of play,. Example; “YDC SDG 1 ENTRY, ABURI GIRLS ,ASEM” OR “YDC SDG3 AND INEQUALITIES ENTRY ,OPEIKUM COMMUNITY,STEP-UP”

· All submissions should have attached, a cover page with group full name, names of cast, age, address, telephone number and theme(s) chosen

· Manuscripts should be submitted in a Microsoft Word Doc. Format, with a standard serif or sans-serif font such as Times New Roman or Arial and with font size 12.

· Pictures or scan of artworks may be submitted in a high-quality JPEG format with a description of artwork, materials or media used and how the work relates to the theme(s) chosen.

· Participants/groups would be responsible for costumes and other related logistics in staging the plays where necessary.

· Participants/groups shall receive training from the organizers of this contest relating to stage plays and on themes of the contest prior to submission of manuscripts and staging of plays

· All manuscripts submitted should be in the English language and plays staged in English, where possible use of local languages can be added or inserted and with English translation.

· Participants/groups can only submit one or two manuscripts per theme.

RECOGNITION AND EXPOUSRE

 · Each participant upon submission of manuscript and stage play would be given a certificate of appreciation and participation

· All selected works would be exhibited or displayed in full or in part at the Young People’s Expo in Ghana and in other countries.

 · All selected and winners would be attached to mentors as per the category of works

· All winners would be commissioned as Young Act Ambassadors’ in their communities

· Some selected works would be displayed and premiered on several platforms including Ulti-Leaf Foundation, UNESCO and associated publications, websites, and social media platforms, at national and global conferences.

· All selected works and winning participants would receive special certificates

 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION 10th March,2020

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

You may contact the following officials in case you need further information, question and assistance on the project and expo. Visit our Twitter page for more information: @UltiLeaf , Facebook page: Ulti-Leaf Foundation and website: www.ulti-leaf.org

Akwasi Sarpong

nanasarpong2005@yahoo.co.uk

+233-243833966

Victoria Owusu Achiaw

maavicky6@outlook.com

Samuel Owusu Achiaw;

 samuelachiaw@yahoo.com