Blog Contest: University Students in North Macedonia Speak Up!

The committee composed of judges from within and outside the World Bank reviewed all submissions received until June 10^th, 2019. After careful review, the team would like to congratulate the following three winners:

1^st place – Marija Azderska – Read the blog (as received, MKD) | ENG

2^nd place – Teodora Stolevska – Read the blog (as received, ENG)

3^rd place – Andrej Gulabovski – Read the blog (as received, MKD) | ENG

Winning submissions will be awarded the following prizes:

1st place: The winner of the contest will be invited to attend an international conference on the topic of education/employment with travel expenses covered for a round trip on economy class and hotel selected in accordance with the World Bank’s applicable policies (and conditional on the winner obtaining a visa at his/her sole capacity and cost).

2nd and 3rd place: The winners of the second and third place will receive a gift award.

The World Bank team once again expresses its appreciation for all students who participated in this contest. It is really satisfying to know that students in North Macedonia can make their voices heard, ready to take active participation in their country’s economic development.

Who can participate: The Contest is open to all current university students in North Macedonia who are at least 18 years old. World Bank staff, including consultants, and their family members are excluded from participating.

What we are looking for: We are looking for original, thought-provoking submissions about students’ hopes and fears when it comes to finding a job upon graduation. Entries must be in the form of a blog story.  Your entry can be in English, Macedonian or Albanian.

How to participate: Submit your blog post (up to 400 words maximum!) under this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VZGKKFG.  Every participant can submit only one entry.

Deadline: All entries must be submitted no later than 23:59 on June 10, 2019 (Central European Time).

• Submissions will be reviewed by a committee composed of judges from within and outside the World Bank.
• Submissions will be judged on subject matter relevance, originality, storyline, persuasiveness and clarity or writing.
• The World Bank will shortlist 15 entries as finalists.
• Only finalists will be contacted.
• Decisions made by the judges are final.

Winning submissions will be notified by email, according to the information provided with their submission, and awarded the following:

• 1st place: The winner of the contest will be invited to attend an international conference on the topic of education/employment with travel expenses covered for a round trip on economy class and hotel selected in accordance with the World Bank’s applicable policies (and conditional on the winner obtaining a visa at his/her sole capacity and cost).
• 2^nd and 3^rd place: The winners of the second and third place will receive a gift award.
• Honorable mention: Judges may select up to five (5) winners to receive an award certificate

All winners will have the opportunity to get their work featured on the World Bank North Macedonia website.

By entering into this Contest, you retain copyright and remain the owner of your content and may continue to use them in any manner you choose. By submitting an entry, entrants represent that the content is original, has not been previously published, and does not violate any rights of a third party. Entrants grant to The World Bank a worldwide, perpetual, non- exclusive, royalty free license to copy, edit, translate, publish and use the entry, in whole or in part, without compensation to the entrant. You agree that the entry you submit may be used by the World Bank in printed publications, on websites (including www.worldbank.org/en/northmacedonia), slideshows, or social media channels, and may be copied and displayed by the World Bank in any country provided that you are afforded appropriate attribution as the author. Rights to edit copy where the World Bank deem necessary is reserved although entrants will be fully credited.

Privacy: Participants agree to provide their name, age, university, study program, and email for the sole purpose of management of the competition, awarding of the prizes, and trend analysis based on aggregated data provided by the submissions. Such information will be shared with World Bank staff managing the competition and/or analyzing the aggregate data to identify trends, and with members of the committee of judges. Personal data will be destroyed in line with the relevant World Bank Group Records Retention and Disposition Schedule.

Contestant shall not do any of the following:

• Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.
• Publish, post, distribute or disseminate any defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful material or information.
• Upload or attach files that contain software or other material protected by intellectual property laws (or by rights of privacy of publicity) unless Contestant owns or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents.
• Upload or attach files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer.
• Delete any author attributions, legal notices or proprietary designations or labels in any file that is uploaded.
• Falsify the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is uploaded.
• Advertise or offer to sell any goods or services, or conduct or forward surveys, contests, or chain letters.
• Download any file posted by another contestant that the contestant knows, or reasonably should know, cannot be legally distributed in such manner.

By entering the Contest, you agree to the Terms and Conditions set forth below. Entry into the Contest implies acceptance of these conditions, regardless of whether entrants sign any statement confirming acceptance.

• You confirm that you are at least 18 years of age and that you are not a staff, or an immediate family member of a staff, of the World Bank.
• There is no fee payable to enter the Contest.
• You confirm that your entry is your own original work that has not been previously published, lifted from other sources, or produced by someone other than yourself.
• You agree that the World Bank will not pay you for your entry, whether you win a prize or not.
• You acknowledge that all entries in this contest are public and not private communications. Further, Contestants acknowledge that chats, postings, conferences, e-mails and other communications by other Contestants are not endorsed by the panel of judges, and/or the World Bank and/or its partners, and such communications shall not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by the panel of judges and/or the World Bank and/or its partners.
• You agree that, regardless of the outcome, you will not challenge the results of the Contest or file any claims or suits against the World Bank, its affiliates, directors, officers, or employees, arising from the conduct of the Contest.
• If after announcing the winners the World Bank determines that a winner has misrepresented, misstated, or mischaracterized his or her submission in any way, or is not the rightful owner of the submission, the submission may be disqualified from the Contest, and any prizes or privileges received by the entrant as a result of winning this Contest may be rescinded. Any determinations made by the World Bank in withdrawing and disqualifying any submission will be final.

Conduct.  Failure to comply with these Terms may result in disqualification from the Contest.  The panel of judges and/or World Bank are not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the Contest, administration of the Contest or in the announcement of the awards.  The World Bank may update and/or modify the terms and conditions of this Contest in their sole discretion, and Contestant agrees to accept and be bound by any updates and/or modifications.

No Recourse to Judicial Procedures.  To the extent permitted by law, the rights to litigate, to seek injunctive relief or to any other recourse to judicial procedure in case of disputes or claims resulting from or in connection with this Contest are hereby excluded, and Contestant expressly waives any and all such rights.

Preservation of Immunities. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or a waiver of the privileges and immunities of the World Bank, or any other member of the World Bank, which are specifically reserved.

For questions regarding the Contest, please contact Gjorgji Dimeski (gdimeski@worldbank.org)