Uruguay to host AGFUND prize distribution ceremony

Uruguay will host the annual event for the declaration of the International Development Prize in November, the Arab Gulf Program for Development (AGFUND) announced. The event was held in Manila last year.
“The celebration shall witness the honoring of officials responsible for development projects they have competed to win the prize in the field of "food security for the poor" in 2012, besides announcing the winning projects for 2013 in the field of fighting the phenomenon of street children. The topic for the 2014 prize will also be specified, said a statement from the organization.
The winner will receive a cash prize of $500,000 (SR1,875,000) and 64 projects have so far won the prize since 1999, totaling $4,880,000 (SR18,300,000).
AGFUND spokesman Abdulateef Al-Duwaihi said the Uruguayan Foreign Ministry has declared its readiness to provide assistance to organize the celebrations. It will also extend facilities to the participants to enter the country without a visa.
The Uruguay Embassy has welcomed hosting the AGFUND prize ceremony and for choosing its capital, Montevideo, for celebrating this occasion. There will be four categories of awards for the AGFUND prize covering the corporate sector, national NGOs, governmental agencies and individuals. The AGFUND committee will announce the 2014 prize subject for various categories.
AGFUND has invited development personalities, organizational representatives and civil society leaders from several countries.
The AGFUND prize is delivered every year in a country selected in compliance with the standards approved by the prize committee, which includes prestigious personalities representing the entire world’s regions. The award ceremony has so far been held in Geneva, New Delhi, Tunisia, Cape Town, Warsaw, Buenos Iris, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. Montevideo will be the eleventh venue to host the AGFUND prize since its inception in 1999.
The number of projects nominated for the prize to date has so far reached 1,009 projects submitted from 130 countries. As many as 46 innovative and creative projects have won the prize in the last ten years. The prize has till now covered 26 development subjects in the fields of: fighting poverty, water and environment, developing the countryside, health, education and training foundation of healthy childhood, water conservation, developing agriculture and empowering youth.

The prize subject for this year is on the issue of harnessing IT in development.