Asia Writes

18 June 2012

Deadline: 30 September 2012

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, for third year in a row, are launching an essay contest to raise awareness about population issues within the youth in Lao PDR. The theme of the contest this year is "Promoting responsible reproductive health behaviour among young people" and is addressed to Lao upper secondary, university or college students and young people between 15-24 years old from all over the country.

GUIDANCE QUESTIONS:

Reproductive Health implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. Implicit in this are the right of men and women to be informed of and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of fertility regulation of their choice, and to appropriate health care services that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant.

How does pregnancy happen? How can young people protect themselves from unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV? As a young person, what do you see as your reproductive health rights? Where can you get information, or counseling and services on reproductive health matters? When do you feel young people are ready to start having their families? What can you suggest to decision-makers to improve the situation of young people in Lao PDR? What does it mean for you to be responsible about your reproductive health behaviour?

CATEGORIES:

• University/College Students
• Upper secondary School Students
• Young people between 15-24 years old

PRIZES: (for each category)

• 1st place: 2.000.000 KIP
• 2nd place: 1.500.000 KIP
• 3rd place: 1.000.000 KIP

TIMELINE:

• Launching: June 7, 2012
• Call for entries: June-July-August-September, 2012
• Submission deadline: September 30, 2012
• Jury selection: October, 2012
• Winner's announcement: November, 2012

RULES:

• Eligibility: Lao nationals

• Essays should be written in Lao language.

• Submissions can be made by email (wpdessay@gmail.com), fax (021) 353051 or physical mail to the following address: UNFPA. P.O.Box 345. Ban Phonesavanh Tai. Sisattanak District. Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR

• Essays should not exceed 5 pages of standard typed text. Font size: 11. Font type: Saysettha Unicode.

• Pages must be numbered.

• Essays should be written and submitted individually. Group essays are not allowed.

• Quotes and references must be clearly marked throughout the essay and properly cited.

• Each participant should fill the Essay Competition Entry Form or send a separate sheet of paper indicating: Name, Address, telephone and mobile numbers, E-mail (if available), Faculty/University/College or Grade/School or his/her age (if participating in the category C). Please note that essays without this information will be disqualified.

• The winners will be selected by the Essay Competition Steering Committee composed of the following organizations: National University of Laos, Ministry of Education and Sports, MPI and UNFPA. The selection will be completed by October 2012. The winners will be invited to present their essays during population forum by the end of 2012 followed by an award ceremony. A summary of the best essays will be published.

Download: entry form

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: wpdessay@gmail.com

Website: http://countryoffice.unfpa.org/lao/

28 April 2011

Please note that all the documents related to the essay contest are published in Lao Language. If you are interested in English versions please kindly send a request to wpdessay@gmail.com

Download essay contest documents:

Poster

Brochure / Entry Form*

UNFPA Representative Launching Speech*

Background Note*



Contact Information:

For inquiries: wpdessay@gmail.com

For submissions: WPDessay@gmail.com

Website: http://countryoffice.unfpa.org/lao

11 January 2011

I have a 50,000 English to Lao translation project, and would like to know your best rate per word. Content is general, about tourism (Luang Prabang). Trados is a must but not mandatory, can use also other CAT tools. Payment by paypal or moneybookers 2 weeks after delivery.

More information here.

26 October 2010

Deadline: 15 February 2011 (unconfirmed)

The Ministry of Public Security will organise a song, poem and short story contest to mirror the long-standing, fine and brave accounts of the security force over the past 50 years.

The contest is scheduled for March 2011 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Public Security Ministry (5/04/1961-2010), according to yesterday’s press conference, at the Ministry of Public Security.

Taking part in the event were Mr. Thongbanh Seng-aphone, Minister of Public Security, writers, and professional and amateur composers.

The content of songs, poems and short stories will feature a long traditional history of brave security force.

The upcoming contest is to provide an opportunity for Lao people, especially the professional and amateur composers to send their songs, poems and short stories that praise patriotism, their motherland and the Party’s policy. It also encourages security force in the performance of their duties.

The organising committee for the contest will select 10 songs, poems and short stories.

The final round which will select five best songs, five poems and five short stories will be held at the National Culture Hall on March 2011. The winner will receive one million kip cash and the runners-up will receive 500,000 kip of congratulatory prizes.

Interested people can contact No 021 970572, 02055902772 and 020 55697391.

More information here.

26 September 2010

Deadline: 1 December 2010

The Asia Pacific Scholarship Consortium offers a fully funded Masters Scholarships for individual from Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Lao DPR to pursue masters degrees from select top universities in the Asia Pacific region in the following subject areas:

* education
* environment
* community health
* development
* humanities and social sciences
* media
* policy, law and administration
* social work

Successful APSC applicants will meet the following criteria:

* hold an undergraduate degree with excellent academic record
* current resident of Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Lao DPR
* have experience working in home country in at least one of the fields listed
* speaking English fluently
* show commitment to return to home country after completion of the study

Applicants whore paper applications are approved will be invited to have an interviewed in their home country

APSC 2011 application available on October 1, 2010
Deadline of application: December 1, 2010

More information here/here.

03 September 2010

Written in Khmer by Mak Suong, this book is about gay love and is the first gay novel to come out in Cambodia. The book is available at Angkor Shop in Phnom Penh. Mak Suong, author of several other books in Khmer, was born in Phnom Penh and is currently pursuing his studies in Laos. Read a Q&A with the author here.

28 August 2010

Deadline: 3 September 2010
Eligibility: open to Laos residents
Reading Fee: none
Accepts (genre): essays
Prize/Payment: 1.5 million kip for first prize, etc.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) and the Lao government have launched an essay writing competition for youngsters in Vientiane, seeking to involve them in data collection for development initiatives.

The competition aims to raise awareness about the importance of data collection, analysis and use for development within the framework of World Population Day 2010.

The contest, entitled “Why is Data Collection Essential for Development?,” is open to Lao upper secondary and university or college students all over the country.

The purpose of the contest is to stimulate critical thinking and reflection about social issues and development amongst young people in Laos.

The competition is also an occasion to draw the attention of future generations to population issues and trends, as the country prepares itself for a national census in 2015.

World Population Day 2010 highlights the importance of data for development. Good demographic data is critical for planning schools, health systems and public transportation, for designing policies based on future population projections, for monitoring the effectiveness of government service delivery and much more.

Winning essays will be awarded 1.5 million kip, 1 million kip and 700,000 kip for first, second and third places, respectively. Some winners will be invited to present their essay at the 2nd Population Forum to be held in the last quarter of 2010.

The contest has two categories – upper secondary students and university or college students. Essays must be typed in the Lao language, be single spaced and not exceed 5 pages of standard text in the ‘Saysettha Lao’ font size 11. Pages must be numbered.

Quotes and references must be clearly marked throughout the essay and properly cited.

In a separate sheet or document, each participant should indicate their name, address, telephone numbers, email (if available), education institution, and essay title. Essays without this information will be disqualified.

Entries will be accepted from July 21 through September 3, 2010. The jury selection will be made from September 3 to 20 and winners announced on September 22.

All submissions will be blind reviewed by a group of experts from the Ministry of Education and National University of Laos.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the UNPF are supporting the essay contest.

Submissions can only be made by fax – (021) 353051 or 216274 – or by email – laos.office@unfpa.org or un.system.division@gmail.com

More information here.

19 August 2010

Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay was recently announced as the first recipient of the Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry.

Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay is the Lao American author of No Regrets, a collection of poetry and haikus published by Baby Rabbit Publishing in 2007. Her work has been published by Altra Magazine, the Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement, and Bakka Literary Journal.

A Minnesota-based spoken word poet, she has performed and taught creative writing workshops nationally across the United States and internationally in Italy and Japan. Vongsay is a co-founding member of The Unit, a collective of emerging playwrights. Her short plays are staged at The Minnesota Playwrights’ Center. She is a co-chair of the first Lao American Writers Summit in Minnesota and works actively to support the work of Lao women writers and artists across the country to celebrate heritage, diversity and community development.

The Prize in Spoken Word Poetry was established by Brandon Lacy Campos to honor the memory of his late grandfather, Alfred Charles Carey. The award carries a $150 cash prize.

11 August 2010

Paj Ntaub Voice Literary Journal
Website: http://www.hmongartsconnection.org/pajntaubvoice.html
Email Address: info@hmongartsconnection.org
Editor/Consultant: Hmong Arts Connection
Country: Laos/USA
Type: Print journal

Description: Paj Ntaub Voice(PNV) is a literary and arts journal published by Hmong Arts Connection. It is the longest-running premier Hmong literary and arts journal in the United States. PNV is published twice a year to debut works of emerging writers and artists who have little or no publishing history. Through our production process, writers and artists learn how writing and publishing work. Paj Ntaub Voice affirms the existence of creative Hmong voices within the community. Writing and publishing the works of Hmong writers and artists move the Hmong from an oral culture with no literary identity and no writing history to one with a body of creative literature and art and a body of writers and artists. Hmong writers and artists are celebrated through public events such as public readings, exhibitions, book releases and performances.

(Directory entry)

05 August 2010

Bakka Magazine
Website: http://www.bakkamagazine.com/
Email Address: submissions@bakkamagazine.com
Editor/Consultant: Bryan Thao Worra
Country: Laos
Type: Online magazine

Description: Bakka Magazine welcomes essays, stories, satire or parody, columns, and reviews in English or Lao on a variety of topics, especially if the works have a Laotian angle. Artworks and cartoon sketches suitable for web posting are also welcomed.

(Directory entry)

26 July 2010

The Center for Lao Studies (CLS), a San Francisco-based non-profit organization, is inviting scholars of Lao Studies to submit proposals for panels, papers or workshops for a joint conference of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) and the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) "70 Years of Asian Studies." The conference will be held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, from March 31 to April 3, 2011.

The Committee seeks sessions that will engage panelists and audiences in the consideration of ideas, information, and interpretations that will advance knowledge about Asian regions and will enrich teaching about Asia at all levels.

All applicants should submit proposals to CLS’s Dr. Vinya Sysamouth by July 31, 2010. The select committee members of the CLS Board of Directors and the Editorial Board for the Journal of Lao Studies will choose four panels to submit to the AAS. The deadline for final submission to the AAS is August 5, 2010. Please see the excerpt from the AAS call for papers and more information on the call and the correct format for proposals.

More information here.

21 July 2010

1st Annual Lao American Writers Summit:
August 13-15th, 2010

The National Lao American Writer’s Summit will mentor and support the first and emerging generation of Lao American writers. Held in Minneapolis at the acclaimed Loft Literary Center, during the Summit, nationally renowned Laotian American writers will conduct workshops with participants.

Readings, writing circles and informal social gatherings will be scheduled and encouraged. Through this Summit, the organizers will provide a safe and instructive environment that identifies and addresses the unique challenges faced by emerging Laotian American writers.

This 3-day Summit will take place from Friday to Sunday. Workshops will be conducted from Friday to Saturday. A public reading will be held on Saturday night.

Writing Workshops
Under the present plan, a nationally recognized Laotian American writer will facilitate each writing workshop. Workshops will consist of writing exercises and group discussions on participants' writing. At each workshop, participants will write and workshop new pieces in their genre of preference. Participants have the opportunity to take a workshop with every faculty member.

Community Panels
For emerging writers and non-artist participants, panels will be held to highlight the current state of Lao American arts, opportunities and experiences of individual artists and to examine the positive potential arts have on individual and community growth.

Resource Fair
Community members will have an opportunity to meet national, regional and local arts, philanthropic and refugee service organizations, publishers and researchers who can answer questions and advise writers and artists on significant opportunities.

Based on preliminary community discussions, we anticipate an audience of 100 to 200 people representing a wide range of states, particularly from the Minnesota, Texas, Washington, California, Illinois, Wisconsin and New York.

More information here.

19 May 2010

October 9, 2010

Join the Lao Assistance Center, our friends, families and supporters as we celebrate 30 years of Lao in America!

We will remember where we've been and where we're going. The evening will feature traditional live music, dance, fine dining, door prizes and other fun opportunities to meet our community and celebrate together.

Lao culture traces its cultural roots to the 14th century. Modern Laos, a nation approximately the size of Great Britain, is home to over 60 ethnicities, each with their own linguistic traditions and customs. In the United States there are approximately 200,000 Lao who have resettled here since the wars of the 20th century. Minnesota has the 3rd largest Lao refugee population in the US with 25,000 residents.

Learn more about our community's journey this October!

Crystal Community Center
4800 Douglas Drive North
Minneapolis, MN 55429-3553

17 May 2010

Date: Friday, May 21, 2010
Asian Arts Initiative, Chinatown, Philadelphia, PA

Asian Arts Initiative presents
LAOS IN THE HOUSE feat. BRYAN THAO WORRA
Hosted by YELLOW RAGE

BRYAN THAO WORRA is an award-winning Lao American writer. Born in Laos in 1973, his work appears in over 80 international publications and is taught in college classrooms around the world. He works nationally on Southeast Asian refugee resettlement and the arts. He holds a fellowship in literature from the National Endowment for the Arts and received a 2009 Asian Pacific Leadership Award from Council from Asian Pacific Minnesotans.

You can visit him online at http://thaoworra.blogspot.com/

Open Mic Sign-Up

Advance sign-up is strongly recommended. Visit our website to read the ground rules & sign up for the open mic: http://www.asianartsinitiative.org/

25 March 2010

A delegation from the Vietnam Writers Association led by its chairman, poet Huu Thinh, attended the third Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Writers’ Conference, which took place in Vientiane on March 24.

Lao Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Somsavad Lengsavad and Minister of Information and Culture Mounkeo Oraboune and Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Ta Minh Chau were present at the event.

The conference heard letters of congratulations sent by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdec Hunsen.

Speaking at the conference, Lengsavad spoke highly of contributions by the three countries’ writers in strengthening the close ties among their nations. He said he wished writers would create more quality works, and help the people of the three countries--especially young generations--understand more about the tradition of solidarity among the nations.

On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, poet Huu Thinh promised that Vietnamese writers would try their best, together with their Lao and Cambodian colleagues, to create new spiritual values, helping deepen the literature of the three Indochinese countries.

The conference reviewed the activities of the three associations and exchanged experiences and orientations for development in future.

At the conference, the third annual Mekong Literary Awards were presented to 10 writers from the three countries.

Vietnamese award winners included Ngoc Tu (Thoong B.C) with memoir series ‘Bao Rung’ (Forest Hurricane), Pham Quang Dau with a novel titled ‘Mot ngay la muoi nam’ (One Day is Ten Years) and Thang Sac (Nguyen Chien Thang) with a novel entitled ‘Chu Tu, con la ai’ (Uncle Tu, Who am I). (VNA)