November 17, 2009
On November 17, Tashkents Istiqlol hosted a grand event to award Fund Forum - Cesaria Evora charitable grants to young laureates of Yangi Avlod Festival as well as a special concert performed by the world-renowned Portuguese singer. The surprise came when the international football celebrity Samuel Eto'o also appeared on stage to hand awards to two youth football teams of Pakhtakor and Bunyodkor Football Academies. The guests handed over grants along with Gulnara Karimovа, the author of Yangi avlod project. This year Yangi Avlod, the largest festival of childrens creativity in Uzbekistan, was timed to the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child with the support of UNICEF.
In 2009, over 18,000 applications for participation were submitted across the Republic. 685 participants have emerged as winners in regional selections rounds. The Final round determined the laureates 101 participants were lavished with plaudits at the gala-concert. It is noteworthy that almost 50,000 children from all parts of the country have participated in the Festival since 2004, when it was launched, and around 1,600 have emerged as winners.
Specially prepared songs performed by Yangi avlod winners along with Uzbek pop stars Samandar, Rashid Khalikov, Ravshan Namazov, Abdukhoshim Ismoilov and Raykhon, alternated with portions of handing awards to the winners. The youngest winners were awarded by Gulnara Karimova and members of the Festivals jury composed of prominent culture and art professionals from Uzbekistan among whom were Abdukhoshim Ismailov, Peoples Artist of Uzbekistan; Dildora Jamalova, Director of Uspensky Music Lyceum; Ravshan Namazov, Honoured Artist of Uzbekistan.
The Festivals grand prix creativity development grants went to three laureates. These were handed by the world-renowned Portuguese singer Cesaria Evora, who is also noted for her charitable activities: back home she finances the system of primary education and acts as envoy of the UN World Food Programme. It is to be noted that in October this year similar grants were handed to the winners of last years festival winners by pop icon Sting who attended Style.uz Art Week in Uzbekistan.
The gala-concert turned out to be special for football fans as well thanks to the football celebrity Samuel Eto`o, who handed over a special sponsor package and diplomas to two youth football teams. This event symbolically launched a new Fund Forum project to provide sponsor support to children's and youth football teams in all parts of the Republic, organize master classes with legendary footballers in an effort to help train successful athletes.
The festivities culminated in a performance, lasting 1.5 hours, by Cesaria Evora who seemed to have captivated the audience with her unusual voice. Just like Sting`s concert in October this year, the Portuguese singers program at Yangi avlod gala-concert had a charitable character and was aimed at encouraging gifted childrens creative aspirations. Roughly 3 thousand people attended the event free of charge. Among those attending were young participants of the Festivals selection rounds, their teachers and parents, students of music and art schools, kids from orphanages, active members of the Fund Forum`s youth projects, culture and art workers and accredited media representatives.
Related links
Fund Forum awarded certificate for supporting children artistic endeavors