ROYAL PRINCE EDWARD ABOUT TOWN!

British royalty, His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward was last week at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort in Naivasha, for the International Gold Event.
The IGE brings together more than 120 Gold Award holders, between the ages of 20 and 30, from across the world to share their Award experiences and develop valuable leadership skills. The highlights of the 2011 IGE were the service projects during which the youth engaged in community projects at four schools in the Longonot and Suswa areas.



In his address at the closing ceremony on Friday (Sept 14), the Earl noted that he was proud of their achievements and encouraged the youth from over 50 countries across the world to go out and utilize the skills and networks they had acquired to create a better and more meaningful society wherever they are from.



The Youth Forum was a valuable opportunity afforded to Gold Award holders to present their thoughts, ideas and initiatives to the stakeholders in person and to seek support for new areas of development.
Edwin Otieno Joseph, the Executive Director of President’s Award Kenya congratulated the attendees and reminded them that civic duty is a noble task which everyone ought to be involved in. He said their role in the service projects at the Empash Primary School, Soila Maasai Girls Centre, Longonot Township Primary School and Ndabibi Primary School would be remembered for years to come and through these tasks, they had made friends for life among the children attending those schools.
The next International Gold Event takes place in Korea in 2014.

ROYAL PRINCE EDWARD TO VISIT KENYA FOR PRESIDENT’S AWARD

British Royal Prince Edward will attend this year’s 13th International Gold Event (IGE) President’s Award at the Great Rift Valley Lodge, Naivasha from September 2 to 16. Prince Edward is the youngest child and third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The IGE will be launched by the President and Patron of the award in Kenya, His Excellence Hon. Mwai Kibaki and it boasts of attendance from 200 international and local delegates from over 50 countries.



The IGE is one of the most important events that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award International Association (IAA) organizes with the host country and is held once every three years. It brings together select Gold Award holders aged 20 - 30 years to engage in the governance and policy of the Award while discussing social, political and economic issues to better prepare and empower the youth to positively influence societies in the present and the future. Themed “Each One Reach One”, the event will encourage each attendee to use what they gain from the IGE experience to reach one goal they have set so as to be of value to themselves, their community, their country and the world.


Speaking on behalf of the International Award Association, Africa’s Regional Director Edwin Kimani stated that “the programme is formed on four pillars: - Voluntary Service, Physical Recreation, Skills Development and Adventurous Journey that will help youth unlock their potential, develop self reliance, social awareness, leadership and good citizenship”. The event will take the attendees to different parts of Kenya including Sagana where they will test their physical endurance, Empash, Longonot Township and Ndabibi Primary Schools respectively to participate in repair and renovation activities.
The first event of this kind, known as The Commonwealth Gold Expedition, was hosted by Canada in 1967.