Czech Young Writer to come to Dublin in 2007

Monday 13th November, 2006: IMPAC is pleased to announce the agreement with Czech newspaper Lidove Noviny to begin a Young Writers Award in the Czech Republic!

Founded and sponsored by IMPAC, an international productivity specialist with its European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, the IMPAC Young Writers Award seeks to give student writers from around the world recognition for their literary achievements. Competitions are conducted at the local level and through area sponsors.

Lidove Noviny's cooperation will allow one lucky Czech Young Writer to come to Dublin in June 2007 for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Last year, Young Writers from the U.S.A. and Malaysia won a week's holiday in Dublin, where they attended the 2006 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award announcement and Award dinner, as well as writers' workshops and tours of Dublin attractions.

IMPAC welcomes Lidove Noviny's co-sponsorship, and looks forward to many years of Czech Young Writers in Dublin.

BACKGROUND

The IMPAC Young Writers Award began in Litchfield, Connecticut, U.S.A. in 1998 as the initiative of Dr. James B. Irwin, Sr., Chairman of IMPAC worldwide. At its inception the award allowed aspiring and emerging teen writers to gain confidence and notoriety for their literary efforts. In conjunction with the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, it is a reflection of IMPAC's interest in the promotion of the written word.

The award has developed significantly to embrace IMPAC's passion for communication in the business world. Participating countries such as Thailand and Malaysia recognize the need for their young people to have developed English-language skills in order to gain future success in business. Through its contribution in countries where English is not the primary language, the IMPAC Young Writers Award has become a medium through which students can better their English-language skills while simultaneously enjoying the excitement of the competition.

For more information please visit www.impacyoungwriters.com

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award was the initiative of Gay Mitchell, then Lord Mayor of Dublin and Dr. James B Irwin, Chairman of IMPAC in 1992.

The Award is a partnership between IMPAC and Dublin City Council. The first Award was presented in 1996 to Australian author David Malouf for Remembering Babylon. The Lord Mayor of Dublin today continues to act as its patron.

Presented annually, with the objective of promoting excellence in world literature, the award is open to novels written in any language and by authors of any nationality, provided the work has been published in English or English translation in the specified time period as outlined in the rules and conditions for the year.

Since its inception, IMPAC has worked with Dublin City Council to develop the award which has become one of the most prestigious in the world.

For more information please visit www.impacdublinaward.ie

Young Thai essayists urged to put pen to paper
The Third Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand, designed to promote creative English-language essay writing among Thai high school students, begins today in all four regions of the country.

Essays with the theme "A Tale of Thai Grace and Compassion" will be accepted from now until December 15 from Thai students between the ages of 14 and 18.
Regional winners will receive cash prizes and the national winner will travel to Ireland to attend the Senior Dublin Literary Awards ceremony and witness the awarding of the world's richest literary prizes.

The contest is organised by The Nation, Nation Junior, Phuket Gazette and CityLife. It is sponsored by the international productivity consultant IMPAC, the Embassy of Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Property Care Services Company.

This year's judges for Bangkok and the national awards are Education Ministry permanent secretary Charuaypon Toranin, TK Park director and former deputy education minister Sirikorn Maneerin, the Irish Ambassador to Thailand, Eugene Hutchinson, the former president of Thailand Tesol, the association of teachers of English, Assoc Professor Suchada Nimmannit, SeaWrite judge and international relations lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, Assoc Professor Prathoomporn Vajrasthira, the head of the Children's Literature Programme at Srinakharinwirot University's Faculty of Humanities, Ajarn Atchara Pradit, the author of the English-language novel Chalida, Salisa Pinkayan, and the president of The Nation, Pana Janviroj.
Students whose age is between 14 and 18 on December 15, 2006, are eligible to enter the contest.

The length of their essays should be between 800 and 1,200 words.
Regional winners will be announced in January and the national winner will be announced at a gala dinner in February. The winning essay in each region will earn Bt10,000, as well as two merit awards of Bt5,000 each. The national winner will be chosen from the regional winners.The national winner with win a free trip with a parent to Dublin, Ireland in June 2007. They will participate in the senior Dublin Literary Award with the global winner.

For more details, please visit http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/literaryawards/
Irish Ambassador to Thailand Eugene Hutchinson said he wanted to encourage Thai students to gather more writing and communication skills in English.

"I am enthusiastic about the motive for using English as we [the Irish] are also English speakers, and this competition offers a unique opportunity to increase awareness of English use among young people," he said.
The ambassador said Irish education was highly valued and he would like to see more young Thai people studying in Ireland.