Nominations are invited for the Petersberg Prize....

Nominations are invited for the Petersberg Prize. The Prize recognizes exemplary contributions in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) for development. The Prize will be awarded during the Development Gateway Forum, which will take place in 2004. Nominations are due by January 1, 2004. The Prize winner will receive an award of 100,000, without stipulations of how to use the funds. However, the winner(s) will be encouraged to use at least 50,000 in further promoting the activity identified in the nomination, or in mentoring prospective leaders in the ICT for development field, or in helping to disseminate the lessons learned in implementing the activity in question. He/she will be expected to participate in the 2005 Development Gateway Forum to report on how the resources were used. The Prize will be awarded for a significant contribution to an ICT for development success that benefits a large number of people. The degree of the success, the magnitude of the benefits, and the importance of the contribution to that success will all be taken into account. Benefits to the poor will be given priority. The winner of the Prize, through his/her contributions, should set an example that will inspire others to excel. Who is Eligible? The Prize may be awarded to an individual or to an organization. For example, to: § The director of a project or program that was critical to the ICT for development success. § A government official or the leader of an advocacy group who led in developing or implementing policy changes critical to an ICT for development success. § A university program or department that provided leadership critical to the success. § An NGO that conducted a pilot or demonstration projects critical to the success. The Prize will be awarded on the basis of contributions to developing countries, but the recipient may be a citizen of any country. Employees and contractors of the Development Gateway Foundation and of the Prize sponsors are not eligible. What Kinds of Successes Are Considered? The Prize may be awarded on the basis of: § The development of a major ICT industry, such as the development of the software industry in India. § An especially rapid expansion of connectivity, such as the deployment of mobile telephony in China, development of telecenters in Senegal, cabinas publicas in Peru, or the development of the Internet in Brazil. § A particularly effective, large-scale application of ICT in a specific development sector, such as e-commerce, e- government, telemedicine, distance education, famine prevention, or environmental monitoring. How are the Benefits to be Considered? The scale of the success (number of people affected, economic impact, etc.) or the impact of the activity in fostering the dissemination of an important innovation will be taken into account in selecting the recipient of the prize. How the success reduces poverty is the most important consideration. Nominations should be as specific as possible to show how many people ultimately benefit from the success, and the nature of the benefits they are likely to receive. What Contributions Will Be Considered? The nomination should explicitly identify contributions that were critical to success, such as: § The development of a technology that made ICT more affordable or appropriate for developing country applications. § A project or program that demonstrated an innovation, or promoted the rapid application and dissemination of an innovation. § A policy change that created the appropriate conditions for the success to occur. Recognizing that many factors often must come together for a major success, the relative importance of the specific events and actions on which the nomination is based will be taken into account in awarding the prize. Nominations should provide information to help the review panel assess that importance. Selection of the Winner Nominees will be invited to submit biographical material and supporting evidence of their accomplishments. All nominations will be screened by the Development Gateway Foundation staff to assure that they are complete, that endorsements have been submitted, and that the nominees meet the eligibility requirements. After screening, the remaining nominations will be reviewed by a panel of independent experts. The panel will identify a list of three finalists, which will be posted on the devforum.org website at least one month before the Development Gateway Forum of 2004. Finalists will be notified and invited to a Petersberg Prize Dinner during the Forum. Nominations To nominate a candidate for the Petersberg Prize, please use the nomination form available here. Please, if possible, provide additional material in support of your nominations, such as biographical sketches of the nominee, reports in the media attesting to the nominees leadership, reports of other prizes he or she may have received, etc. These may be in the form of references to online materials, or in hard copy. All nominations are due by January 1, 2004. Endorsements When making a nomination, please request that at least two other people submit letters of endorsement in support of that nomination. Click here for a sample request letter. The endorsements should be from organizations other than your own. We strongly recommend that you request three or more endorsements. The endorsements may be sent or faxed directly to the following address: The Development Gateway Foundation 815 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 620 Washington, D.C. 20006, USA Fax: 1. 202. 522. 7479 Deadline: January 1, 2004 Website: http://www.devforum.org/prize