Covid-19 lockdown: The dawn project extends competition

The closing date for the The Dawn Project, a poetry-based competition, which officially commenced in March, on the UN Poetry Day and was scheduled to end in April, has now been extended to Friday, June 5th, 2020 which also coincides with the UN Environmental Day. This was made known by the organisers in Lagos recently.

The Dawn Project Poetry Competition  expects participants to interpret the poem, A Plea, by Pamela Ajayi and come up with creative insights and solutions to the issues around nature, the environment and the health of the earth. With over N500,000 to be won amongst the best interpretations,  a grand prize of N200,000 for the 1st placed winner, N100,000 for 2nd and N50,000 for 3rd with 5 consolation prizes of N20,000 each. There would also be cash and other prizes in the two student categories of 7-14 and 15-18. A special prize of N100,000 would be also be given to the winner of Creative Design category.

Speaking during the press briefing to announce the competition, Dr Pamela Ajayi, the author of the poem, described The Dawn Project simply, as creating the dawn of a new consciousness reiterating that there is a direct relationship between the health of the nation and the global climate change.

She said “the Coronavirus 19 pandemic that is sweeping across the globe could be an opportunity for human beings to reflect on their mortality, embrace their humanity and become kinder to each other and to the world we live in.”. she confirmed that they have been receiving entries but hopes that more people will make use of the ample time that the lockdown provides to send in their own entries."

The organisers of The Dawn Project are hoping that  the extension of the closing will give Nigerians something meaning to reflect and work on while in lockdown. It is believed that such meaningful exercise can help provide satisfaction stability of mind. It is noteworthy that a recent poll by Mental Health Foundation  in the UK before the enforcement of full coronavirus lockdown showed that more than one in five adults in the UK had felt panicked and three in ten adults said they have felt anxious and worried. The organisers are therefore hoping that the competition offers participants something positive to focus their minds on while they stay at home.