DG Deanna Rostock's Note

2008-2009

International Peace Poster Contest

“Peace Begins With Me”

Lion Laura Toney

Boise Capital Lions Club

District Peace Poster Chair

Ltoney@videoeye.com

(208) 871-2993

Dear Fellow Lions;

Each year, Lions clubs around the world proudly sponsor the Lions International Peace Poster Contest in local schools and youth groups. This Contest encourages young people worldwide to artistically express their visions of peace. I’d like to encourage your club to sponsor a local school for this contest. The theme for the 2008-09 Peace Poster Contest is "Peace Begins With Me." Students, ages 11, 12 or 13 on November 15, are eligible to participate. Posters are evaluated and judged by expression of the theme, artistic merit and originality.

This would be a great time to contact our local schools now that they are back in session. What better way to get involved with the youth in your community? Last years winner was from Malaysia, as grand prizewinner he was able to travel to New York to receive his award. Please contact a local school or youth group to get them involved in our 2008-09 Peace Poster Contest.

Promoting the Arts

Participants can use a variety of mediums, including charcoal; crayon, pencil and paint, to express the “Peace Begins With Me” theme. The creations should be unique and can express the young artists' life experiences and culture.

Spreading Peace and International Understanding

Each year's contest consists of an original theme incorporating peace. Twenty-four international finalists are selected each year, representing the work of more than 350,000 young participants worldwide. Posters are shared globally via the Internet, the media and exhibits around the world. For more information on the Peace Poster contest go to www.lionsclubs.org.

Judging

Each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme.

Posters advance through several judging levels: local, district, multiple district and international. At the international level, judges from the art, peace, youth, education and media communities select one grand prizewinner and 23 merit award winners.

Awards

International winners will be notified on or before February 1. One international grand prizewinner will receive a trip to a special award ceremony with the sponsoring club president and two family members at Lions Day with the United Nations in New York City, New York, USA (subject to change).

During the ceremony, the winning artist will receive an engraved plaque and a cash prize of US $2,500. Each of the 23 merit award winners will receive a cash award of US $500 and a certificate of achievement.

Past Winners

Past Peace Poster Contest grand prizewinners have come from Brazil, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Martinique, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and the United States. To see last years winning posters go to www.lionsclubs.org and type in Peace Posters.

Peace Poster Contest Kits
Lions clubs interested in sponsoring the Lions International Peace Poster Contest can order a Peace Poster Contest kit (PPK-1) from the Club Supplies Sales Department at International Headquarters. The cost of the kit is US$7.95 + shipping, handling and applicable taxes. The kit is available in all 11 of our official languages. Lions clubs must purchase a kit for each contest sponsored. Each kit contains:

Official Club Contest Guide and Rules
Official School or Youth Group Contest Guide and Rules
Participant Flyer may be duplicated and given to each participating student to take home
Sticker to place on back of winning poster
District Governor Postcard to notify the district governor of your club's participation
Certificates for contest winner and school or youth group

You can order kits from the Club Supplies Sales Department at International Headquarters from January 15 to October 1. To order a kit, call Club Supplies Sales at (630) 571-5466 or 1-800-710-7822 (U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada only). To order online, go to Club Supplies (Item Search: Peace Poster Kit). You can also download the order form.

Please review contest rules (below) and order kits as soon as possible to guarantee sufficient time for a well-planned contest. For orders within the United States, please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. Additional delivery time is needed for orders outside the United States.

Promoting the Contest
In addition to the kit, you can also use the following PR Tools to promote your club's Peace Poster Contest:

Fill-in-the-blank Peace Poster press release
Peace Poster Brochure
District Peace Poster Chairperson's Guide
Honorable Mention certificate

Contest Deadlines – Entries not meeting deadlines will be disqualified.

January 15: Kits go on sale from the Club Supplies Sales Department at International Headquarters.

October 1: Deadline to purchase kits from the Club Supplies Sales Department at International Headquarters.

November 15: Postmark deadline for a club to send one winning poster (per contest sponsored) to the district governor.

December 1: Postmark deadline for a governor to send one winning district poster to multiple district council chairperson.

December 1: Postmark deadline for a governor not belonging to a multiple district to send one winning poster to the Public Relations Department at International Headquarters.

December 1: Postmark deadline for a club not belonging to a district to send one winning entry to the Public Relations Department at International Headquarters.

December 15: Postmark deadline for the multiple district council chairperson to send one winning poster to the Public Relations Department at International Headquarters.

February 1: International winners will be notified on or before this date.

LIONS INTERNATIONAL PEACE POSTER CONTEST RULES

A kit must be purchased for each contest sponsored. Each kit includes a sticker to be placed on the back of the winning poster prior to forwarding it to the next level of judging. Entries not featuring an official sticker on the back or meeting the rules listed below will be disqualified.

Only a Lions club can sponsor the contest in a local school(s) or organized, sponsored youth group(s), such as YMCA programs, Boys & Girls Clubs, Scouts, etc. A Lioness club can sponsor the contest through its sponsoring Lions club. Note: The contest cannot be held in youth groups that a Lions club sponsors, such as a Leo club or Scout unit. However, individual members of those groups (such as Leos or Scouts) may participate if the contest is held at their school or other organized youth group.

Contest is open to students who will be 11, 12 or 13 years of age on November 15. Eligible birth dates can be found under the Contest Rules & Conditions found in the Peace Poster kit.

Artwork must be no smaller than 13 inches by 20 inches (33 centimeters by 50 centimeters) and no larger than 20 inches by 24 inches (50 centimeters by 60 centimeters). Do not mat or frame artwork.

Only one entry per student, and each entry must be the work of only one student.

All artwork must be the individual student's original creation. Duplications are not accepted.

All media are accepted. Note: Chalk, charcoal and pastel entries should be sealed with a fixative spray to prevent smearing. Do not laminate entries.

Three-dimensional entries will not be accepted. Nothing may be glued, stapled or attached to the artwork in any way.

The use of lettering or numbering on the front of the poster, in any language, is not allowed. All artist signatures or initials should be written on the back of the poster. Artwork should be done on a flexible material, so it can be rolled for shipping in a mailing tube. Do not fold poster.

Participants accept all responsibility for late, lost, misdirected or illegible entries. Entries sent with insufficient postage will be disqualified. Lions Clubs International is not responsible for entries damaged, destroyed or lost during the judging process. Entries cannot be acknowledged or returned; they become property of Lions Clubs International upon receipt. Peace Poster Contest images cannot be used without written permission from Lions Clubs International.

In consideration for the opportunity to enter the Peace Poster Contest, participants agree to allow Lions Clubs International to use their names and photographs for promotional and publicity purposes. In addition, the international grand prize winner, two family members (one being a parent or legal guardian) and the sponsoring club president or a club member (as designated by the sponsoring club president) are required to attend the award ceremony at Lions Day with the United Nations in New York City, New York, USA (subject to change). An international grand-prize winner is not eligible to receive subsequent prizes in future Peace Poster contests sponsored by Lions Clubs International. By entering, participants agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the judges and Lions Clubs International.

Lions Clubs International may cancel the contest without notice at any time. The contest is void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

R-10-07

* Or single District where no Multiple Districts exists