ICTA has launched a national contest in line with the internationally acclaimed World Summit Awards.This local counterpart, so to say, of World Summit Award 2009 is named ‘e-Swabhimani 2009’.
Accordingly ICTA recently called for entries for ‘e-Swabhimani 2009’ under the same eight thematic areas as those under which submissions had been called for the WSA. The reason for sticking to the same thematic areas in the local counterpart contest is that ‘e-Swabhimani 2009’ could be s stepping stone to national nomination for the next World Summit Awards.

Recognising the key role played by the ICTA in e-content development, the WSA has appointed the Agency as its National Expert for Sri Lanka. The objective of the ‘e-Swabhimani ‘ award is to promote creative ICT applications and to assess and appreciate at a national level the individual and institutional creators of such applications.

“The most excellent local e-contents will be selected by a review panel comprising national and international experts and will be given appropriate recognition at a gala event next week”, ICTA’ said in a statement.

The jury process will be conducted on the lines of the World Summit Awards and will be moderated by Founder Director of the Digital Empowerment Foundation, India, Osama Manzar who is also a Director of the World Summit Awards. The Grand Jury will comprise leading experts with domain expertise in the thematic areas in which the awards are to be made.

“e-Swabhimani 2009 will serve to unearthing hidden talent in developing content and application which would benefit society,” Reshan Dewapura, ICTA COO said.

The Gala Award Event at which awards and certificates will be presented to the top content developers and innovators will take place on 6th November, 2009 under the patronage of the Hon. Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Tissa Vitharana, the Secretary to the President, Mr. Lalith Weeratunga and World Bank Country Director Ms. Naoko Ishee.