Paris, February 16 (No.2001-22) - UNESCO is inviting entries for the Great Man-Made River International Prize for Water Resources in Arid and Semi-arid Areas, which is to be awarded for the first time in late 2001 during the next session of UNESCO’s General Conference.

Sponsored by the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the US$20,000 prize will be awarded by the Director-General of UNESCO every other year as a reward for a substantial contribution to the assessment, development, management and/or use of water resources in arid and semi-arid areas.

An international jury will evaluate the scientific work of the candidates according to the following criteria: practical applicability to arid and semi-arid areas; scientific, technological and/or educational innovation; contribution to environmental improvements; beneficial socio-economic impact; consistency with the goals of the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO.

Entries for the prize can be submitted by the governments of Member States in consultation with their National Commissions or by non-governmental organizations maintaining official relations with UNESCO. Only one entry per Member State is possible. Submissions must be made to UNESCO’s Water Division by May 31, 2001.

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For more information: http://www.unesco.org/water/ihp/