UPDATE: Due to popular request, we are now opening the competition up to young professionals outside the UN System!
With special guests: H.E Dr José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General and WFP Deputy Executive Director Amir Abdulla,
21st of May, FAO Headquarters, Rome
UPDATE: Due to popular request, we are now opening the competition up to young professionals outside the UN System!
With special guests: H.E Dr José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General and WFP Deputy Executive Director Amir Abdulla,
21st of May, FAO Headquarters, Rome
We would like to invite all young professionals of the three UN Rome-based agencies to join us at a special event to discuss innovative ideas and strategies for meeting the challenges of global food insecurity.
The purpose of the event is to open up a space for FAO, WFP and IFAD young professionals (including volunteers and interns), up to 35 years old, to share your innovative ideas to overcome world hunger and malnutrition.
With the support of the Young Professionals Forum for International Development (YouFID), the Volunteers and Interns Committee of FAO (VIFAO) and the Young Professionals Platform for Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD), the event is also an opportunity for you to make personal and professional connections among attendees, and establish a platform where we can learn from each other and help new talent and ideas to emerge.
While competition applications are limited to young professionals up to 35 years old, all FAO, WFP and IFAD staff are welcome to attend and contribute to the discussion.
Innovative Ideas to Feed the World
Date: Tuesday, 21st of May - 9:00 10:45am, Rome time
Location: FAO Headquarters, Rome Room SHEIKH ZAYED CENTRE (ground floor)
Register!
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , with your full name, email contact, organization name and position.
- For competition entry: Subject: COMPETITION, and attach your essay and/or other application materials;
- For attendance: Subject: ATTENDANCE
Deadlines
- Competition entry: Please submit the materials by Sunday 12th of May 18pm, Rome time. No late submission will be accepted.
- Attendance only: Registration until Friday 17th of May 18pm, Rome time.
** THERE ARE NO FEES FOR THIS EVENT **
Awards
Competition application
If you are a young professional (including Volunteers and Interns), up to 35 years old, and wish to submit your entry for the chance to present your innovative idea at the event, individually or in a group (up to four participants), please submit the following:
- a short essay max. 500 words (mandatory);
- supporting materials (optional), such as:
- video (max. 3 minutes) Formats: wmv; mpg; asf; avi (formats that can be opened with Windows Media Player);
- posters or photos (up to five).
Your essay must provide an outline of your innovative idea and/or work that you have been doing to promote local, national, regional or global food security. Only essays in English will be accepted.
We encourage candidates not based in Rome to submit your entries and participate in the competition! If your idea is selected, you will have the opportunity to make your presentation during the event via video link.
Please note: In order to be eligible for the competition, young professionals who do not work for a UN agency must be linked to a relevant university course or organization working on development issues.
Evaluation procedure
The essays and visual materials will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of FAO, WFP and IFAD staff.
Candidates who wish to submit their entries as a group must note that, if selected, only one group member will make the oral presentation at the event.
We encourage presentations from groups composed by members of the three organizations.
For more information about the selection, please consult IIFW selection criteria file, Selection Criteria.
Results and Prizes
The authors of the five most innovative proposals will be invited to make a six-minute presentation at the event; a great opportunity to share and promote your ideas/work. You will also receive a letter of congratulations signed by the FAO Director-General, Mr. José Graziano da Silva. All other submitted essays will be published online on ypard.net.
Webcast
We are checking the possibility to webcast the event. If you are in the field, stay connected with us through Facebook and we will inform you about this very soon.
Language
The event will be in English.
All entries submitted and the presentations that the selected candidates will do during the event must be in English too.
** For more information, please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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Organizing Committee
Cyntia Lima (NRD) General Organization; Communication and Partnership Management - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Luo Wenjun (NRD) Administrative Management - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rebeca de Souza (ESW) Knowledge Management - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tommaso Carboni (NRD) External Visibility Management - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Partners
VIFAO Volunteers and Interns Committee of FAO (website under construction)
YouFID Young Professionals Forum for International Development in Rome, Italy
The Research and Extension Unit of FAO
YPARD Young Professionals Platform for Agricultural Research for Development
YUNGA Youth and United Nations Global Alliance
Consult all the information on the pdf format of the IIFW announcement and the IIFW selection criteria file