Our World Irish Aid Awards – Finalists Announced

(Taken from the Department of Foreign Affairs Press Release)

Pupils from eleven primary schools in Waterford, Donegal, Offaly, Wicklow, Monaghan, Sligo and Dublin have been shortlisted as finalists for the seventh annual 'Our World Irish Aid Awards'.

The pupils will showcase their winning projects at a special awards ceremony in Dublin Castle on February 21st. The Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, will present the overall winners with an Our World Irish Aid Awards trophy, while the other ten finalists will receive Awards of Excellence.

More than 9,000 children from 450 primary schools across Ireland participated in this year’s Awards, submitting a host of creative projects with the theme ‘Caring for the Planet, Feeding Our World’.

The annual Our World Irish Aid Awards is designed to foster a greater understanding of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals and Irish Aid’s work in developing countries among primary school pupils.

With the help of their teachers, pupils explore the day-to-day challenges faced by children in developing countries. Based on their findings, the pupils create multi-media projects, using art, drama, writing, poetry, film or music.

Minister Costello paid tribute to the pupils for their research and creativity: 

“I would like to congratulate the eleven schools which have been chosen as finalists. The entries are of an exceptionally high standard and showcase the inventiveness and creativity of the pupils involved.

"It is heartening to see that Irish children are so interested in the lives of people in developing countries and I am very impressed by their ideas for how we can promote a more just and equal world.

"I am delighted that the Our World Irish Aid Awards has grown in popularity each year, with more than 9,000 children now involved. Congratulations to all the pupils and teachers who worked so hard on these very impressive projects.”

The Our World Irish Aid Awards ceremony in Dublin Castle on 21 February, 2012, will be hosted by RTÉ Presenter, Rob Ross.