Virginia de Melo e Granjo, Cleodolinda do Remedios Pinto ,Serena Botelho and Jaqueline Dias Pereira walk away winners at the first edition of First Draft 2016, a Portuguese writing competition.

Panaji, March 2016:After just over a month of prepping and submitting their articles Virginia de Melo e Granjo, Cleodolinda do Remedios Pinto , Serena Botelho and Jaqueline Dias Pereira  were announced as winners of the first edition of the First Draft 2016, a Portuguese writing competition. The winners received their prizes from InêsFigueira, Delegate of Fundação Oriente ​and Dr. Rui Carvalho Baceira,​ Consul General of Portugal at a ceremony held at The International Centre Goa ,Dona Paula.

‘First Draft 2016’, the first edition of a unique writing competition organised by the Panaji based NGO,Communicare Trust, offered students of 10th, 11th and 12th standard, the opportunity to get their winning articles written in Portuguese, published and distributed in all the high schools and higher secondary schools that teach the Lusofonian language.With opportunities like these a total of 24 articles were submitted. 10 made it to the final stage and 4 were declared winners today.

The 3 themes on which the articles were based on are Fashion, Media and Music.

The winning articles will also be part of thestudy material for ‘Kaleidoscope’, the annual language quiz competition organized byCommunicare Trust at DEITI studio, Goa University in September this year.

First Draft 2016 is being organized by Communicare Trust (Goa) whose objective is to promote languages and cultures, with the support of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Portugal) and the Portuguese Consul in Goa, Dr. RuiCarvalhoBaceira.

The winners were handpicked by a jury comprising of 3 members appointed by Communicare Trust. While the Chairman of the jury is Nalini Elvino de Sousa,Manager at Communicare Trust, the two other members of the jury were Joana Marto, a Portuguese language teacher from Lisbon and Marina Nédio, a Portuguese language teacher from Porto, Portugal.

Virginia de Melo e Granjofrom Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Panjim receiveda cash prize of Rs 10,000/- for her article on Fashion followed by Rs 5000/- to Cleodolinda do Remedios Pinto’s from Lourdes Convent High School, Saligao bagged the second place for her article on Digital media, while Serena Botelhofrom Mary Immaculate High School, Panjim took home Rs 2500/- for third place on her article titled “A música”  and Rs 2000/- to Jaqueline Dias Pereirafrom Carmel's Higher Secondary School, Nuvemfor her article on fashion designer Verma D’Mellofor the fourth place.

Said Nalini Elvino de Sousa, Manager at Communicare Trust, I am very happy it is the first time we organised this type of an event. Even though it was during the exam time we received 24 entries and the quality of articles submitted were very good.

As a prelude to ‘First Draft 2016’, a special creative writing workshop was organised to help potential candidates to formulate the required framework for their respective articles. Different techniques and discussion about the themes were highlighted at the workshop which was conducted by senior journalist Devika Sequeira.

Through ‘First Draft 2016’,Communicare Trust aims to encourage students to inculcate healthy habits of reading and writing at an early age. Communicare Trust further hopes to promote literary excellence and groom students to contribute to the building of a talent pool of bright young minds in the state.

Next year the competition will be opened to Konkani language students as well.

For further media queries contact:Sean Faia on 9823206426