São Paulo – Arab women or women that are nationals of an Arab country may have their research work internationally recognised. In October this year, the Arab Women Organization, headquartered in Egypt, should grant an award of US$ 21,000 to the winners of the three categories of award "Arab Women in Science and Technology for Development": Natural Science, Physical Science and Philosophy and Logic Science. The winners should be announced after their works have been evaluated by a bench of examiners.
The second secretary of the Embassy of Egypt to Brazilian capital Brasília, Jailan Abbas, said that the idea behind the award is to appreciate, recognise and generate incentives for women to develop their studies to collaborate for the development of Arab society. "The idea behind the award is to provide an incentive and, mainly, to empower women in their research," said Jailan.
The institution is headquartered in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, but other countries in the region participate in the Arab Women Organization. Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania and Yemen participate in the award.
According to the organisers of the award, to participate in the Natural Science and Physical Science categories, candidates must have been born in an Arab country and must live in one. For the Philosophy and Logic Science award, the researchers must be Arab nationals but must live outside the Arab nations. The candidates cannot have received any award before.
Apart from the projects – which must have been developed within the previous five years – the organizers of the award requires that the research enrolled have already been published in scientific magazines in the field of operation.
This award is granted every three years and was created to provide incentives for Arab women to show their research. To the second secretary of the embassy of Egypt in Brazil, the funds granted to the winners are not the most important aspects of the award. "What is most important is the recognition the winner will have. We want the winners to be an example so that other women enrol in the next edition."
The organizers of the event have no estimate regarding how many women should participate in the award, but they believe there will be many, as researchers from 16 countries may participate. "We would be very pleased to see them improving and remaining connected to their Arab roots," said Jailan.
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Those interested in participating must send their curriculum and research work developed over the last five years, alongside scientific publications in which they have been published. It is also necessary to send a picture. If the work is in book format, the book must be sent. Enrolment ends on June 15th. The name of the winners will be disclosed by letter in October.
Works must be addressed to the Director General of the Director General of the Arab Women Organization, at 25, Ramsés st., Korbah – Masr El Gedida – A.R. Egypt. The envelope must also say "Prize of Arab Women in Science & Technology for Development 2011". Further information: http://english.arabwomenorg.com/
*Translated by Mark Ament
