Call for Entries: African Human Rights Playwriting Prize

 

CALL FOR ENTRIES: AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS PLAYWRITING PRIZE

 

African Human Rights Playwriting Prize invites inspiring, original one-act plays in English with a maximum playing time of 10 minutes that focus on Human Rights issues in Africa. A ten-minute play is generally around 10 pages long.

 

The plays can explore any of the following human rights themes: Freedom of Expression, Government Violations, Police Brutality, corruption, forced Eviction, terrorism, Gender Inequality, LGBT Rights, Child Labour, Child Marriage, Domestic Violence, violence and discrimination against women; child abuse; female genital mutilation, ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination, child trafficking etc.

 

African Human Rights Playwriting Prize aims to elevate public consciousness and understanding of human rights values through plays in order to guarantee the safeguarding of people's rights in Africa. 

Also, there will be 10 shortlisted plays (to be published in the e-book), and five winners.

PRIZE(S)

1.      Only (Five) 5 selected outstanding plays will receive live, professional production of their works online during IHRAF’s Evening of Theatre at 2PM NYC time and 8PM in Africa in a later date that will be announced.

2.      Issuance of Certificate of Merit signed by the Founder and Executive Producer of IHRAF, Tom Block

OTHER BENEFITS 

·         Award of Certificates of Participation to all Entrants.

·         Award of Certificates of Excellence to only the shortlisted entrants.

·         Only the shortlisted play(s) will be published in e-book format

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

·         Original one-act plays in English with a maximum playing time of 10 minutes long only

·         No monetary prize

·         The play must be a new and original piece of work. The play must not have been published in any form or awarded previously.

·         Entries are welcomed from anywhere in the world

·         Entrants must adhere strictly to standard playwriting format.

·         Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production will be considered

·         Only one play per entrant

·         Plays must have Human Rights at heart.

·         Plays that have been previously produced or published are not eligible; 

·         Entries will be judged based on set, cast, technical requirements, dialogue, story development, style and conformity to contest rules. Participants also have the flexibility to use any type of play, however, the scope of the submission must directly relate to this year’s topic or it will be disqualified.

·         Deadline for submissions is 31st of July, 2021

·         Winners will be announced on the 31st of August 2021.

·         All entrants must give IHRAF permission to produce their plays. Please note that only 5 outstanding plays will receive live, professional production of their works online at 2PM NYC time and 8PM in Africa in a later date that will be announced. 

·         The proposed productions are subject to the playwrights agreeing to the terms of IHRAF Production Team.

·         Any signs of plagiarism will disqualify the entrant.

·         Organizers’ decision is final

·         All entries must be submitted to: ihrafnigeria@gmail.com and also copy societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com.

·         Title of your mail should be addressed as “AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS PLAYWRITING PRIZE”

·         Entrants are advised to send the following information alongside their entries

i. Name

ii. Age

iii. Gender

iv. Country

v. Address

 vi. Phone Number

vii. Where you heard about the Call for entries

viii. Short Profile about yourself.

x. Name of school or university if any

 

For more enquiries contact: Wole Adedoyin +2348072673852 (woleadedoyin@gmail.com) 

 

IHRAF Releases New Anthology on Human Rights Abuse in Africa

 

IHRAF RELEASES NEW ANTHOLOGY ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE IN AFRICA

 

As part of her contribution towards curbing the issues of human rights abuse and violation in Africa, the International Human Rights Arts Festival (IHRAF) has thematically released a new classic and international essay anthology.

Edited by Nigerian author and journalist, Izunna Okafor, the anthology, entitled "The Malady and the Remedy" is a collection of twenty (20) essays on human rights abuse and violation in Africa, written by essayists, authors and human rights activists from different countries in Africa; as well fifteen (15) inspiring human rights quotes by selected activists around the world.

According to a statement, issued by the Coordinator of IHRAF in Africa, Mr. Wole Adedoyin, who announced the official release of the new anthology, the 20 essays published therein are the essays longlisted in the 2021 human rights essay competition recently organised by IHRAF (African Chapter), captioned "African Human Rights Essay Competition 2021", through which which 45 essays were received from different countries in Africa.

He congratulated all the entrants who participated in the essay competition, and appreciated everyone who contributed in one way or the other to the success of the initiative and the publication of the anthology, particularly the IHRAF founder, Tom Block, who is also an American author and playwright; as well as the editor of the anthology, Izunna Okafor, who is also an award-winning author and journalist.

In his Editor's Note, the editor of the new anthology, Izunna Okafor noted that the publication was a fulfilment of one of the promises made while calling for submissions of essays for the competition, during which only shortlisted entries and entrants were promised publication —a promise that was eventually extended to the longlisted essays and entrants, owing to the quality of their contents.

He wrote, "Although only the shortlisted essays and essayists were promised publication during the 'call for submissions', it became really wise to adjust further to accommodate all the longlisted essays and essayists in this publication, beholding the perceived extraordinary quality, relevance and efficacy of their contents in actualising the overall goal of the initiative, which is to promote human rights values in Africa and positively influence the betterment of the human rights situation in the continent.

"It is the conglomeration, editing and publication of these twenty longlisted essays that gave birth to this classic anthology, entitled "The Malady and the Remedy".

"The essays published herein take both the form of stories/narratives, analyses, etc, to x-ray, bemoan, condemn and challenge the incessant abuse and violation of human rights in Africa, the unsafeness of Africa for human rights activists and freedom fighters, as well as recommend the elixirs to all these ills against humanity.

"Aside its intriguing, thought-provoking, informative, educative and didactic qualities, another most outstanding feature of this anthology is that the essays published therein do not just condemn human rights violations and make recommendations; they are research-based and deep rooted.

"In other words, these essays experientially and comparably

look deep into the history of human rights and human rights abuse/violation in Africa, the causes, the types, what and what have been done so far to better the situation, why those things are not yielding the expected results, and finally

propose/present better and more efficacious alternatives to addressing this age-long issue of human rights abuse, borrowing from the experience of yesterday, the situation of today, and the projection for tomorrow.

"Indeed, this anthology is a must-read for everyone who loves human rights and freedom. Every human being deserves to be treated as a human, for his being. Freedom fighting and right activism should be for all and for everyone. Human rights are for every human; and Africans are humans. For every other thing regarding that, flip through the pages of this anthology, and come out a better activist."

Call for Entries: Creators of Justice Literary Awards

 

CALL FOR ENTRIES: CREATORS OF JUSTICE LITERARY AWARDS

 

SUBMISSION WINDOW IS OPEN!

IHRAF PUBLISHES 

ANNOUNCES 

CREATORS OF JUSTICE LITERARY AWARD 

THERE IS NO ENTRY FEE FOR PARTICIPATION

Deadline: August 31, 2021

Submissions must include cover letter, bio and the category (Poetry, Short Story or Essay) in which you apply.

Please send submissions to: hello@ihraf.org with the subject line: “Creators of Justice Literary Award”

The International Human Rights Art Festival announces the creation of this new literary award, celebrating poetry, short stories and essays which use the written word to celebrate justice. 

This ideal may be imagined in any manner in which the writer sees fit, however, it must be based in our signature values of beauty, sincerity, vulnerability and engagement. We do not publish work or engage with artists whose work is based in anger, or stems from an “us v. them” mentality. We feel strongly that all human conflict is representative of human spiritual immaturity — and no group of people, ethnicity or religion are immune from human spiritual immaturity. 

There are three monetary prizes in each category: Poetry, Short Story and Essay. Each writer may make one submission in each category (total of 3 submission per writer). Awards are as follows:

First Prize: $150

Second Prize: $100 

Third Prize: $50

Honorable Mention: 5 writers will have their work published on IHRAF Publishes

https://www.ihraf.org/creators-of-justice-literary-awards