World Bank Celebrates Young Photographers and Hosts Open House Event to Mark International Children’s Day in Moldova

“Keeping the doors open and the kids flowing” was Moldova Country Office motto on June 1st. To celebrate the International Children’s Day, the World Bank Office in Chisinau hosted an award ceremony for young photographers. A two-month long youth photo competition labeled - “Your Community, Your Life” - open to young people under the age of 18, gathered over 120 entries, with 12 of the best photographs selected to feature in the World Bank Moldova 2010 calendar.

In a separate event, the Office opened its doors to the country’s youth. Visitors had the opportunity to play a range of games, take part in a drawing contest, sharpen their origami skills and learn about what the World Bank is doing in Moldova in an interactive and kids-friendly manner. A computer game designed for children, which aims to teach them about the importance of protecting the environment and adopting responsible behaviors to natural resource use, collected a range of visionary answers. “We should always take a bath because this way we can kill all the bacteria”, said a 5-year old visitor. So much for 5-minute showers as a quick fix to water conservation and being on time for work!

Over the past four years youth civic engagement, and particularly support for rural youth, was the Bank’s leitmotiv in support of the country’s civil society sector. Building a better future for the next generation stands at the core of the Bank’s work on education, healthcare and employment generation in Moldova. In addition to this, the World Bank is engaging youth on a constant basis as it drafts and adapts its vision for a more prosperous Moldova.

Over 120 children and young people attended the Open House event. The World Bank’s Youth Voice Group – a youth peer-to-peer learning group – played a key part in organizing and promoting the event.