(2004-33) News Release August 11, 2004 Ottawa -- The Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister for International Cooperation, today announced the winners of this year's Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) butterfly 208 contest. An annual art and writing contest, butterfly 208, now in its third year, is designed to interest Canadian youth between the ages of 14 and 18 in international development and engage them in global issues. The butterfly 208 grand prize winners, a group of five students and one teacher, will be leaving Ottawa this evening for Tanzania where they will spend two weeks as special youth and education ambassadors visiting CIDA initiatives in rural and urban settings and experiencing the culture and unique challenges of daily life in a developing country. These special ambassadors will be paired with Tanzanian youth and teachers for the duration of the trip. This year's grand prize winners are: Group category: Tania Pacheco, Vanessa Barkley, Christina D'Ettorre, of Montreal, Quebec, for their musical creation, Hate Around the World, an exciting hip-hop composition that combines a powerful message with vibrant, original sounds. Overflowing with innovation, this group of three addresses the issue of child labour in a unique and creative way. Individual writing category: Pier-Luc Dupont of Quebec, Quebec, for Kelem, tied with Katie Englehart of Toronto, Ontario, for Circle of Struggle ¿ The Education Initiative. Kelem is an intelligent and provocative piece about a talented storyteller who brings social consciousness to a beauty pageant in a most creative way, while Circle of Struggle is a personal and well-informed essay about education in a global perspective and the author's challenge to make a difference. Individual art category: Keeley Haftner of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, for her Meet Beautiful Africa, a luminous work of art that confronts the stereotypes and apathy people in developed countries have towards the African continent, challenging its audience to " jump out of your warm, cosy blanket of Democracy to receive the cold slap of realization... to take life-amelioration into your own hands. " Teacher category: Maryam Moayeri of Richmond, British Columbia, who encouraged a total of 182 students to enter the contest. "Congratulations to all of this year's participants on your excellent work and your contribution to making young people aware of global issues," said Minister Carroll. "Your efforts will help make a world of change here at home and in developing countries." CIDA's butterfly 208 contest takes its name from the theory that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world can have a huge impact on the other side of the globe. It also celebrates the connection shared by youth in all 208 countries around the world. CIDA's partners in the butterfly 208 contest this year are: the Canadian Museum of Nature, Club 2/3, CODE, Fuji Photo Film Canada Inc., Taking IT Global, Youth Canada Association (YouCAN!), Youth Mine Action Ambassador Program, Le Groupe Jeunesse 2000, What Magazine and Promotions, and Street Beat Video Dance Tour. For further information on CIDA's butterfly 208 contest, please visit theYouth Zone section of CIDA's Web site at www.cida.gc.ca. The Youth Zone provides detailed information on the butterfly 208 contest and this year's prize-winning entries. Funding for this initiative was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. - 30 - Information: Andrew Graham Director of Communications Office of the Minister for International Cooperation Telephone: (819) 953-6238 Media Relations Office Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Telephone: (819) 953-6534 E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca
