In the beginning of this month, we collected nominations for this year’s Med Awards. 54 applications came from 12 countries of our MDIO. While CRs are reviewing them and selecting the winners, we will look back at year 2018/2019.

The Outstanding Project Awards are divided in six categories. Rotaract Mediterranean announces and awards them every year in early summer at the Mediterranean Convention (Medicon) which took place in Malta last year. Who stole the spotlight?

• 

medLove

This initiative focuses on help provided to our communities, minority groups, and socially vulnerable population by reducing inequalities, improving living conditions, water sanitation, education, etc. Its main goal is to spread love through the Mediterranean region.

Water for Life

Rotaract Club of Alexandria Cosmopolitan; Egypt, D2451

Water for Life aims to provide clean water to as many houses as possible in the neediest areas in Alexandria, Egypt. They managed to tackle this difficult task incredibly well. In the first phase, they helped supply 20 houses with safe drinking water, and then, 13. The contaminated water in rural areas in Egypt is full with diseases and hazards, such as Bilharzia; so by providing clean water, this project essentially aims to eliminate this danger. It also aligns with two of the six Rotary International Areas of Focus – Water and Sanitation and Maternal and Child Health. The project received private funding.

medCulture

medCulture serves as a social effort to preserve cultural heritage and promote unity in diversity. The fundamental aim of this award is to protect cultural liberty and celebrate our differences in the Med region. 

Mind Your Tongue

Rotaract Club Ljubljana; Slovenia, D1912

Pazi na jezik (Mind Your Tongue) primarily aligns with the Basic Literacy & Education area of focus as it emphasizes the importance of preserving the Slovenian language. Rotaract club Ljubljana developed the initiative cleverly by using fun examples to demonstrate that even if their language changes, there are certain rules to it so that it maintains its unique beauty and authenticity. The project consisted of displaying six billboards with obvious grammar mistakes that graffiti artists later painted over and corrected. It gained a lot of publicity: it received the Outstanding Award by Europlakat Slovenija in the category of Awareness & Informing; appeared in six different Slovenian media and doubled the number of its followers on Facebook. It did not only illustrate the complex yet beautiful Slovenian language, but it also helped highlight the impressive work done by Rotary in Slovenia as well as around the world.

medNature

The initiative consists of preserving and protecting the Mediterranean Sea ecosystem, in-land or submarine flora and fauna, etc.; as well as raising awareness and promoting an eco-friendly mindset. 

GreenAct

Rotaract Club of Saida; Lebanon, D2452

This large-scale project involved 30 collaborative organizations such as the SEARIC MDIO and numerous Rotaract clubs in Lebanon. Its main goal was to pave the way for Saida to go green. GreenAct corresponds with Rotary’s Economic and Community Development as well as Water and Sanitation areas of focus. It involved implementing different environmentally friendly and sustainable projects that help improve the community. Moreover, this project aligned with many SDGs such as Partnerships for the Goals by implementation all over the city in collaboration with different CSOs, which empowers partnerships in the community; Affordable and Clean Energy by implementation of solar panels, and Climate Action through plantation of more than 100 trees around Lebanon. Some of the most important changes it incited were installing solar panels, raising awareness of recycling while introducing it in Saida, along with organizing beach and sea clean-ups and planting trees. Through this project, Rotaract club of Saida managed to impact more than 300 households and more than 5000 individuals.

Prize for Peace

One of the main goals of Rotaract Mediterranean is to spread peace all over the region.

Smiles against War

Rotaract Club of Torrevieja from Spain D2203

Smiles against War was initially about rescuing children from war zones in the Donbass region (Ukraine). With the help of numerous organizations, they managed to help 13 children, aged between 3 and 11, by giving them a chance to enjoy several days away from the aggressive and dangerous environment they live in. This project perfectly aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the Rotary International 6 Areas of Focus, starting with Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution. Additionally, it followed the Maternal and Child Health SDG –children were examined and received medical treatment. Moreover, since some of them have been adopted, the project also corresponds to the Economic and Community Development SDG. Finally, providing them with books for their further education, Smiles against War goes hand in hand with Basic Education and Literacy. This project had such positive impact that it encouraged Rotaract clubs around the affected area in Ukraine to suggest the Spanish future collaboration. With the assistance of Global Christian Support and Rotary Torrevieja, it will take place annually. These children will hopefully learn and grow as individuals from this incredible experience as well as manage to relieve some of their suffering and difficulties.

Best District Twinning Award

Children’s Wellbeing

District 2420 from Turkey and Rotaract Clubs of District 2100 from Italy

This twinning project aims to pay attention to the psychological problems that children affected by cancer have to face. 45 clubs from both districts made sure that they receive the necessary psychological attention during their treatment. Thus, they have organized several visits to children’s hospitals between October and March where many fun activities, such as painting, playing educational games and giving gifts to cancer patients, took place. 215 children were helped in Turkey and 192 children in Italy, making it a total of 407 children in both countries. 

Best Club Twinning Award

Mental Health Awareness Program

Rotaract clubs of Tambau, D4540; ACBT, D3220; Colombo Institute of Research and Psychology, D3220; Evangelical Presbyterian University College, D9102; Pescara Ovest, D2090; Montreal, D7040; Alexandria Agora, D2451

Mental Health Awareness Program raises awareness of mental health on a global scale as well as informs the international community of the importance of psychology to ensure the well-being and productivity of human beings. This project perfectly embodies the collective efforts done by an international Rotaract community in both social media and the “real life”.

The efforts of Rotaract clubs all around the Mediterranean region as well as around the world successfully make this world a better, fairer place. Rotaract Mediterranean highlights some of these efforts through the annual Med Awards. We are sure that this year’s edition will be just as fruitful. 

Stay tuned and stay safe!

Photo credits: Rotaract Mediterranean MDIO