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Astral Resources delivers best gold assays to date at Feysville

Astral Resources NL

Astral Resources NL (ASX:AAR) managing director Marc Ducler sits down with Jonathan Jackson in the Proactive studio to highlight recent assays from its Feysville Gold Project, 14 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Ducler talks through the latest gold intersections from the project's Kamperman prospect. The initial four holes in a recent 19-hole reverse circulation drilling program have demonstrated significant gold mineralisation. The standout result from hole FRC267 showcased the most substantial high-grade gold intersection at Kamperman to date, reporting 35 metres at 3.81 g/t from 86 metres. These findings not only affirm Astral Resources' confidence in Kamperman's potential but also hint at its capability to serve as a high-grade satellite ore source for the Mandilla Gold Project. Ducler expressed satisfaction with the consistent quality of mineralisation across the length of the mineralised zone, underscoring the prospect's potential. With results from 15 more RC holes anticipated, he hinted that the best outcomes may be yet to come. “These latest RC results from the first four holes of a 19-hole drill program have further reinforced the potential scale and grade of the recently discovered Kamperman Prospect at Feysville," Ducler said. "To have returned the widest, highest-grade intersection seen at Kamperman to date with such consistent gold mineralisation down the length of the reported mineralised zone, was especially pleasing." Contact Details Proactive Investors Jonathan Jackson +61 413 713 744 jonathan@proactiveinvestors.com

March 07, 2024 03:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

Botala Energy addresses Botswana’s gas supply/demand issues

BOTALA ENERGY LTD

Botala Energy Ltd (ASX:BTE) energy development manager Dr Steve Lennon joins Proactive’s Jonathan Jackson to share his extensive expertise on the pressing gas supply and demand challenges facing Botswana. With a distinguished career in energy management, Lennon brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience to the table, emphasising the critical role Botala Energy plays in addressing these issues. Botswana's gas market is at a pivotal point, grappling with the growing energy needs of its economy and the complexities of securing sustainable gas supplies. Dr Lennon outlines the intricate dynamics of the local gas market and elaborates on Botala Energy's strategic position in this landscape. Dr Lennon highlights how Botala Energy is poised to contribute significantly to meeting Botswana's increasing energy requirements. Contact Details Proactive Investors Jonathan Jackson +61 413 713 744 jonathan@proactiveinvestors.com

March 07, 2024 03:15 PM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Kevel Secures Series C Funding and Names Puja Rios as President/COO, Expanding its C-Suite team

Kevel

Kevel, the API led ad serving company, is announcing it has raised $23M in Series C funding. This round of funding was led by Series B investor Fulcrum Equity Partners with investment from Godwin Capital Group, Iberis Capital, Dunnhumby Ventures, as well as continued participation from Commerce Ventures. The new funding allows Kevel to deepen its retail media focus and drive advanced product innovation to retailers and marketplaces offering on-site retail media ad products. “What makes retailers different from traditional publishers is that they have unique 1st party data and closed loop attribution,” stated James Avery, CEO, Kevel. “Kevel’s flexible API tools enable retailers to build differentiated retail media platforms leveraging their unique attributes to provide advertisers with innovative, cutting edge decisioning, ad formats, targeting, and site performance, all while keeping their data safe and secure at scale.” In order to effectively expand further into the retail media market and continue to serve its retailers, Kevel is announcing the expansion of its senior leadership team with the addition of former Frame.io Chief Revenue Officer Puja Rios joining the company as President / COO. Her strategic appointment comes at a critical time for the business as it looks to capitalize on the retail media momentum, with ad spend expected to increase 10.4% to $141.7 billion in 2024. With over 25 years of experience in the software industry, Rios has a proven track record of scaling revenue, building high-performance teams and delivering stellar results. Rios focus will centralize around the next phase of growth for Kevel, expanding the company’s client base further into the retail media sector. “ Kevel’s success and innovation in the retail media market reflects its relentless pursuit of pushing boundaries to deliver a solution that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of its customers,” commented Rios. “I am proud to join a company where innovation knows no bounds and where we are redefining what's possible in the ever-evolving landscape of retail media.” This heightened focus on retail media comes at a pivotal time for the billion dollar retail advertising industry as it enters the age of differentiation. Retailers and marketplaces are striving to capture advertiser demand for inventory, flexibility and maximum ROI by offering the best mix of data targeting, ad formats and measurement while balancing the preservation of their brand, data assets and shopper experience. Avery continued, “We see a large shift in the retail media landscape as brands focus on doubling down on the retail media networks that are delivering value, and cutting back from the retail media networks that are commoditized. This is pushing retailers to invest in moving from off the shelf solutions to building high-end, differentiated retail media networks. Adding Puja to our team is going to enable us to scale with more retailers and help them in their quest to earn their spot on the media plans of the largest brands in the world." For more information about Kevel, please visit www.kevel.com About Kevel Kevel powers innovative, flexible ad tech infrastructure APIs that fuel its ad serving solutions. It’s unique offering empowers multi-brand retailers to launch differentiated retail media networks that improve the shopper experience while maintaining total control of their first-party data. Kevel believes that every digital retailer should have the capability to scale their own distinct ad platform, just like big tech players like Amazon. Customers like Edmunds, Klarna, Delivery Hero, Leroy Merlin, Slickdeals, and other leading retailers and marketplaces all launched their own retail media network with Kevel. The company has garnered numerous accolades, most recently earning recognition as one of the leading 100 innovative tech start-ups driving the future of brand-to-consumer in 2023 and awarded the MarTech Breakthrough Award for best overall ad tech company in 2022. Learn more at www.kevel.com Contact Details Kevel Jennifer Choo +1 973-343-8819 jchoo@kevel.com

March 07, 2024 02:43 PM Eastern Standard Time

New Edition of Retirement Management Journal Published by Investments & Wealth Institute

Investments & Wealth Institute

The latest edition of the Retirement Management Journal — a distinguished, double-blind peer-reviewed journal devoted to retirement and retirement-income planning has been published by the Investments & Wealth Institute (Volume 12, Number 1, 2023). Award-winning financial journalist and retirement management expert Robert Powell, CFP®, RMA®, continues his role as long-time editor-in-chief, overseeing the contributions of a distinguished set of industry luminaries and academic experts. Available via annual online or print subscriptions, the Retirement Management Journal helps sophisticated advisors gain new insights and advanced strategies to help their clients navigate the complexities of the modern retirement landscape. “This issue of the Retirement Management Journal is characteristically rich in its offerings of scholarly articles, book reviews, and expert discussions,” said Mr. Powell. “Additionally, as part of our Visionaries Series, we are also delighted to showcase two exclusive, deep-dive interviews with a set of legends in the field of retirement planning: Annamaria Lusardi and J. Mark Iwry.” Ms. Lusardi is one of the most cited authors in contemporary financial literacy and founder of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center. In this interview, she recounts major milestones in her career, including her lasting contributions to the highly influential and widely respected Health and Retirement Study. Along the way, she reflects on the importance of promoting and embedding financial literacy into all aspects of our societies. Ms. Lusardi discusses ideas such as automatically enrolling people into pensions, adding measures of a citizen’s financial literacy to nationally collected statistics, and ensuring that all employers offer financial education in the workplace. Meanwhile, Mr. Iwry has been referred to as “one of the most constructive public servants in the United States.” His pedigree and professional accomplishments in affecting retirement plan law and policy include serving as senior advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury for national retirement policy, advising on and helping develop the SECURE and SECURE 2.0 Acts, and testifying to Congress 27 times both as a government official and as a private-sector expert. In his interview, Mr. Iwry provides readers with a fascinating, detailed history of his efforts to help Americans achieve financial and retirement security — even as the long-standing era of direct benefit pension plans waned in favor of defined contribution approaches. Another paper of note is “Optimal Spending and Portfolio Rules to Protect Desired Spending in Retirement.” Written by Professor Massimiliano De Santis, Ph.D., this paper proposes a novel retirement spending and investing strategy for retirees who wish to maintain, and potentially increase, spending power over time — while minimizing the risk of spending declines. De Santis’ strategy is multifaceted, including a spending rule that adjusts withdrawals based on portfolio performance, an asset allocation strategy that becomes more aggressive with higher excess wealth, and a consistent integration of spending and asset allocation adjustments. The inside front cover of this edition of the Retirement Management Journal introduces readers to the Chicago Booth RMA® Capstone experience, a new offering for retirement management professionals interested in earning the Retirement Management Advisor® certification from Investments & Wealth Institute. “As always, the contributions of the peer reviewers, the editorial advisory board, and particularly Debbie Nochlin, the Investments & Wealth Institute’s editorial director, have been integral to this edition of the Retirement Management Journal. Nochlin’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in bringing together all these valuable resources for professionals in retirement planning.” About the Retirement Management Journal The Retirement Management Journal is an annual academic publication of the Investments & Wealth Institute. The double-blind peer-reviewed publication is focused on retirement and retirement-income planning research and commentary. The target audience includes retirement and financial planning practitioners, policy experts, product designers, and academic researchers conducting studies related to retirement. The journal aims to advance knowledge and provide insights to help advisors develop strategies for their clients' successful transition into retirement and is designed in part to contribute to the body of knowledge in the Investment & Wealth Institute’s Retirement Management Advisor® certification program. A distinguished editorial advisory board consisting of academic scholars, industry practitioners, and policy experts reviews all submissions. The commentary provided by the authors who appear in the Retirement Management Journal does not necessarily represent the opinions of the Investments & Wealth Institute board of directors, staff, members, or the editorial advisory board of the publication. About the Investments & Wealth Institute Founded in 1985, the Investments & Wealth Institute is the premier professional association, education provider, and standards body for financial advisors. Through its award-winning events, publications, courses, and acclaimed certifications — Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®), Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®), and Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA®) — the Institute delivers Ivy league-quality, highly practical education to more than 20,000 practitioners annually in over 40 countries. Members of the Institute include the industry's most successful investment consultants, advanced financial planners, and private wealth managers who embrace excellence and ethics in applying a broad set of knowledge and skills in their daily work with clients. Contact Details Investments & Wealth Institute Allison Edmondson +1 303-850-3207 aedmondson@i-w.org Company Website https://investmentsandwealth.org

March 07, 2024 02:04 PM Eastern Standard Time

Leading Automotive Brands to Join NAFA’s Ride & Drive Experience at the 2024 Institute & Expo

NAFA Fleet Management Association

As excitement continues to build for Institute & Expo (I&E), NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA), the industry's leading membership association, is excited to share the lineup for its new Ride & Drive Experience. Powered by Bobit, the Ride & Drive Experience provides the opportunity for attendees to interact with the latest models, electric and alternative fuel vehicles, and cutting-edge technologies behind the wheel. Hosted outdoors, this interactive event allows participants to experience firsthand the innovation and performance of vehicles from renowned automotive brands. This experience is set to take place during I&E in San Antonio, TX on Wednesday, April 24th from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. "The Ride & Drive Experience is one of the highlights of our 2024 I&E, providing attendees with a hands-on opportunity to explore the future of fleet vehicles and technologies," said Bill Schankel, CAE, CEO of NAFA. “We’re excited to collaborate with NAFA to offer I&E attendees an exceptional experience, showcasing the advancements driving the fleet industry forward," said Henry Dicker, President of Events for Bobit. The following companies will be participating in the 2024 Ride & Drive Experience: BMW Lucid Mercedes Benz Mullen Automotive Stellantis Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Additional participating companies and vehicles will be announced in the coming weeks. I&E attracts thousands of fleet professionals from a variety of fields, including corporate, government, public safety, utility, education and more. The three-day conference offers a blend of education, impactful conversations, networking opportunities, and products and services from the industry’s leading suppliers. More information about the I&E schedule can be found here. Prospective exhibitors are encouraged to secure their space early to ensure prime placement in the I&E Expo Hall. For more information about reserving an exhibit booth, please visit NAFA’s website. Sponsorship opportunities can be secured here. This year’s current sponsors include Bestpass Inc., FASTER Asset Solutions, Geotab, Holman, Legend Fleet Solutions, Merchants Fleet, Motive, Samsara, Shell Fleet Solutions, Stellantis, U.S. Bank Voyager, WEX and Wheels, Inc. NAFA Fleet Management Association is the membership organization for professionals who manage the mobility requirements of vehicle fleets that include commercial, public safety, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes, and a wide range of military and off-road equipment for corporations, governments, universities, utility fleets, and law enforcement in North America and across the globe. NAFA’s members are responsible for the specification, acquisition, maintenance, repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than 4.8 million vehicles that drive an estimated 84 billion miles each year. NAFA’s members control assets and services well above $122 billion each year. For more information, please visit www.nafa.org, and communicate with NAFA on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X. Contact Details Keaveny Hewitt +1 919-622-5276 khewitt@onwrdupwrd.com Company Website https://www.nafa.org/

March 07, 2024 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Lioness Games debuts first board game Biome on Kickstarter, races to over $200K in days

Lioness Games

Lioness Games, a new entrant in the board game industry, has made a remarkable debut with its first game, Biome which has raced to over $200,000 in orders on Kickstarter within days of its launch. The game, inspired by the founder's passion for board games and nature, was funded in a mere nine minutes, attracting over 3,500 backers from more than 20 countries. Biome is a nature-themed strategy game with 120+ different plants and animals. The game is for 1-4 players, emphasising card placement and tableau building. Players navigate through the four seasons, each impacting their biome differently, as they strive for biodiversity and activate unique abilities of flora and fauna to win. As players progress through the game's four seasons, they must adapt their strategies to the changing conditions, making for a dynamic and engaging gameplay experience. For example, each Spring, players place baby animal tokens in straw nests and in Summer time, they must protect their baby animals from their opponent's predators by playing plant cards. The unique wooden components and player interaction make for a dynamic and engaging game gameplay experience. Leonie Grundler, the founder of Lioness Games, former tech industry professional and a long-time board game enthusiast. She worked at Airbnb in Germany and found inspiration for Biome during her time spent in board game cafes in Berlin. "Living in Berlin is where my love for board games went from being just a hobby to a passion” recalls Leonie Grundler. After nearly 18 months of development, Biome is ready for people to enjoy. Kickstarter has proven to be an invaluable platform for small game publishers, with games being the largest category, accounting for 30% of all money raised. The success of Biome highlights the importance of building a community of followers months in advance of launching a game on Kickstarter. Despite the board game market being a $14 billion industry, less than 4% of top board game designers are women and Lioness Games aims to bring a fresh perspective to the industry. Leonie Grundler added: "I never thought I would make a board game or run a Kickstarter campaign, but here we are, a few days in and $200,000+ in sales. I love nature and board games, so it was natural that my first game would be nature, specifically biodiversity, themed. At Lioness Games, we're changing that narrative by creating games that resonate with a broader audience. Our flagship game, Biome, is a testament to this, offering a unique blend of strategy and environmental education.” The game's engaging mechanics and educational value have already garnered praise from nature lovers and gaming enthusiasts alike. Jamie Williams, who runs the TableTopTikTok channel on TikTok remarked: “I have not been this excited about a game in so long. This game scratched every itch I could possibly have! It is so thematic and the pieces are incredible. This game is phenomenal.” While the designer of the board game Dusty Droz, co-founder of Dux Somnium Games and the creator of Botany, added: “I absolutely love how Biome's art and gameplay make your habitats come to life as you play through the game. You can imagine your birds nesting in the tree cards, your opponents' predators slithering across the table, and your giraffe ambling across your board. If the immersion by itself wasn't enough, the way you use your cards and their positioning to build mini-engines and combos throughout the game is just plain fun”. Looking ahead, Lioness Games is committed to designing unique games that spark joy, facilitate connection, foster strategic thinking, and drive wonder among players. In line with the game's theme, Lioness Games is committed to giving back to nature. A portion of Biome's profits will be donated to the Wildlife Conservation Network to support their mission of protecting vulnerable wildlife Paul Thomson, Senior Director of Conservation Programs at Wildlife Conservation Network, commented: "Biome is so rewarding! Its beautiful cards and pieces, the objective of creating a diverse and resilient environment -- it has us hooked. Our team at the Wildlife Conservation Network loves how the game helps you strategize how to protect the species. It's perfect for nature lovers and game enthusiasts alike.” For more information about Biome and to support the Kickstarter campaign, visit: Kickstarter Page About Biome Biome is the first game by Lioness Games. Designed by Leonie Grundler, with help from graphic designer Grzegorz Siwek and art illustrator Jessica Apel. Biome is a nature themed board game for 1-4 players where people must build a biodiverse biome, protect their baby animals and unlock special abilities of their plants and animals. Biome is the ultimate nature themed tableau builder. About Lioness Games Lioness Games is owned by Leonie and Rish and is based in San Francisco, California. Lioness Games is an independent board game publisher committed to designing unique games that serve to spark joy, facilitate connection, foster strategic thinking and to drive wonder among players. Contact Details Lioness Games Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lionessgames/biome/

March 07, 2024 01:22 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Roughly Half of Nations That Invest in AI Develop Their Own Generative Models, Reveals the First Global GenAI Landscape

AIport

AIport, an online community dedicated to covering the latest international ML developments, has crafted the first volume of its Global Generative AI Landscape 2024. This initial edition examines notable GenAI players worldwide across several key categories. This is the first generative AI landscape analysis to emphasize regional attributes and encompass four times more nations than the average GenAI landscape available to the public. The research process involved examining all 62 countries invested in the AI market, as featured in the Global AI Index by Tortoise. In-house model developers were identified, filtered by the team of editors and data scientists, and subsequently cross-referenced with current GenAI landscapes from Sequoia Capital, Antler, Base10, and others, before being segmented into ten GenAI categories. As the final step, the data was divided into continental regions: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. The first volume of the global GenAI landscape from AIport aims to present a balanced view of international companies, encompassing not only Western firms, but also those from other regions. The landscape offers a comprehensive analysis, detailing which players are developing GenAI solutions, their locations, and the specific nature of their contributions. It contains a total of 128 generative models from 107 companies. As Avi Chawla, a data scientist and community manager at AIport, put it: “We noticed that many generative AI landscapes tend to focus either on the Silicon Valley giants or the tech powerhouses of Europe, covering no more than 10 countries on average. While this approach does serve its purpose, it can’t really offer a complete picture. To address this, we decided to dig deeper, and this is what we came up with after weeks of research. We believe Volume 1 of our Global Generative AI Landscape 2024 provides an objectively international outlook. And we’re also planning to delve into other aspects of GenAI more closely in the future.” The landscape and key highlights Of the 62 countries listed in the Global AI Index, only 35 develop their GenAI solutions in-house. Roughly 90% of them focus on one model type. Regional leaders by the number of active GenAI companies are North America – USA; South America – Argentina; Europe – UK and France; Asia – China and Israel; Oceania – Australia and New Zealand; Africa – South Africa. The average number of GenAI models per company is the highest in North America, being the only region to have at least one model from each of the 10 model categories. Approximately 10% of all companies covered in the study have implemented multimodality in their GenAI models, with a majority of these developers located in the US. This indicates that while multimodality represents an emerging trend, its adoption outside North America still remains in the nascent stages. A total of 11 companies worldwide have developed more than one type of GenAI model. Stability AI leads with five distinct GenAI model types (image, video, audio, 3D, and code), followed closely by OpenAI (chatbot, audio, video, and multimodal) and Google (text, image, audio, and multimodal) – both with four model types. Microsoft, Meta, Tencent, Baidu, and Yandex are among those companies that developed between two to three types of distinct GenAI models. 13 companies have developed multiple models within a single GenAI category. AssemblyAI has two speech-to-text models, MosaicML offers two iterations of its MPT for code generation, while IPOXCap has introduced two chatbots designed for business intelligence applications. About AIport AIport is an online community of AI writers, researchers, and data scientists that aims to provide a transnational perspective on AI. Recognizing that most ML-related publications primarily focus on the “big leagues” in the West, AIport seeks to be more inclusive by widening the angle and broadening the narrative. This approach ensures a more diverse and impartial representation, offering a well-rounded take to the global AI community. Contact Details NettResults LLC Nick Leighton +1 949-478-5880 nick.leighton@nettresultsllc.com Company Website https://aiport.substack.com/

March 07, 2024 10:22 AM Pacific Standard Time

24 Children From Around the World Named as Finalists in Lions International Peace Poster Contest

Lions International

Fanjin Si an 11-year-old girl from the Weiyang District of China, draws a clear image of peace. Si recently brought that vision to life through her artwork, earning her the grand prize in the Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Si was one of 600,000 participants worldwide in the annual Peace Poster Contest sponsored by local Lions clubs, which gives young people aged 11-13 an opportunity to share their vision of world peace through art. “Peace is not just about ending wars; it requires each of us to live with kindness, to solve problems, and to influence those around us with our positive actions,” said Si. “I think the Peace Poster Contest can be used to publicize the idea of peace through drawing and planting the seeds of peace in the hearts of children all over the world.” The winning poster was selected for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest theme, “Dare to Dream.” The Shaanxi Datang Lions Club sponsored the local contest that gave Si the opportunity to participate in this global event and share her vision with the world. “In this painting, I used the head of a young man as a carrier and the vastness of space as a metaphor for dreams,” added Si. “It means that we young people should use knowledge and the desire for peace to bravely explore the universe and realize our dreams.” As the contest winner, Si will receive a US$5,000 cash prize, an award and an invitation to attend a major Lions International event as a VIP. The young artist is also sharing in the celebration with 23 merit winners from around the world. All merit winners receive a US$500 cash prize for their winning artwork. The 2023-2024 Lions International Peace Poster merit winners are: Ruth Émalin Ladino Clavijo,13 years old, Santa Marto Simon Bolivar Lions Club, Colombia Yingxiaoai Qian,13 years old, Harbin Ailifang Lions Club, China Shangshu Tong, 13 years old, Dalian Delong Lions Club, China Ziying Wang, 13 years old, Hainan Qiongzhou Lions Club, China Yuxin Xu, 12 years old, Guangdong Shanxin Lions Club, China Xinyu Zhao, 12 years old, Zhejiang Longxingzhe Lions Club, China Yuejun Zhao, 12 years old, Jiangsu Lanjing Lions Club, China Yu-Fei Yang, 12 years old, Teipei Jenai Lions Club, China Taiwan Ling Cheng, 13 years old, Kaoshing Spring Autumn Pavilion Lions Club, China Taiwan Gertrud Kivisto, 13 years old, Parnu Koidula Lions Club, Estonia V. Smirithi, 12 years old, Tuticorin Perfect Kings Lions Club, India Tori Ikebe, 12 years old, Higashiosaka Daitonawate Lions Club, Japan Sunwoo Lim, 13 years old, Seoul Naksungdae Lions Club, Korea Alexandrea Jong Shiow Xuan, 12 years old, Sibu City Lions Club, Malaysia Sofia Litvinova, 13 years old, Karori Lions Club, New Zealand Valeria Choque Quilca, 13 years old, Juliaca Perla del Aetiplano Lions Club, Peru Lezé Calitz, 12 years old, Durbanville Lions Club, South Africa W A Nethuka Hasarel Pervera, 13 years old, Maradagahamula Divulapitiya 2nd Century Lions Club, Sri Lanka Samara Saroop, 12 years old, San Fernando Les Efforts Lions Club, Trinidad & Tobago Maria Travisano, 13 years old, Bonita Springs Lions Club, USA Caileigh-Marie Smith, 13 years old, Pooler Lions Club, USA Ava Simone Durden, 12 years old, Nashua Lions Club, USA Felicity Petry, 12 years old, Pine Bluffs Lions Club, USA “The Lions International Peace Poster Contest provides young people around the world a blank canvas to fill with hopes and dreams of harmony for humanity,” said Lions International President Dr. Patti Hill. “With open hearts and curious minds, these talented artists are changing the world one brush stroke at a time.” About Lions International Lions International is the largest service club organization in the world. More than 1.4 million members in over 49,000 clubs are serving in 200 countries and geographic areas around the globe. Since 1917, Lions have strengthened local communities through hands-on service and humanitarian projects, and we extend our service impact through the generous support of our Lions Clubs International Foundation. We are focused on supporting vision, the environment, childhood cancer, hunger, diabetes and other pressing humanitarian needs to help address some of the biggest challenges facing humanity. For more information about Lions International, visit lionsclubs.org.

March 07, 2024 01:07 PM Eastern Standard Time

Turkish 6th Grader, Yetka Yağiz Demírtas, Takes Home the Grand Prize in Lions International Peace Essay Contest

Lions International

Yetka Yağiz Demírtas, a 12-year-old from Ankara, Turkey, has a detailed understanding of what peace is. Demírtas put pen to paper to spell out his ideas for the world to read in his award-winning essay entitled “ Drawers of My Mind ” which illustrates the complex inner conversations we often have with ourselves about what is expected of us, and how we can be the best versions of ourselves each day. “The Lions International Peace Essay Contest empowers young people not just to write, but to bring their thoughts to life,” said Lions International President Dr. Patti Hill. “Yetka’s thoughtful words prove that the power to change the world lies in not just what we can see, but in what we dare to dream and accomplish in communities everywhere.” Created to give young people with visual impairments an opportunity to express their feelings about peace, the Lions International Peace Essay Contest is a staple of Lions clubs around the world. Lions work with local schools and area families to identify young people interested in participating and who could benefit from this program. “Peace is universal, it has no language, religion, race or nation. It's something everyone has in common,” said Demírtas. “Life may not always offer you what you want, but it is necessary to take steps with determination and without getting tired.” The winning essay was selected for its originality, organization, merit and portrayal of the contest theme, "Dare to Dream.” The Istanbul Altintepe Lions Club sponsored the local contest that gave this talented 6th grader the opportunity to participate in this global event and share his words of peace with the world. Through his essay, Demírtas shares the idea that every person on the planet has a daily schedule, but beyond those day-to-day tasks exists a much larger mission: to be a great student, friend and family member and to live with an open heart and mind, willing to listen, learn and grow. “I always think about reconciliation; if there is anything that will save us, it should be a world where everyone has equal rights in life and we live in peace,” the 12-year-old added. “This will only progress with younger generations. If everyone knows and respects their rights and responsibilities, there will be a world where everyone lives in peace.” In his free time, Demírtas enjoys swimming, reading poetry, art and choir and hopes to become a history professor and paleontologist when he grows up. As the contest winner, Demírtas will receive a US$5,000 cash prize, an award and an invitation to attend a major Lions International event as a VIP. Visit lionsclubs.org/peace-essay, to read Demírtas' essay and learn more about the contest. Lions International, the world's largest membership-based service club organization, is made up of more than 1.4 million men and women in over 200 countries and geographical areas throughout the world. Lions International created the Peace Essay Contest to foster a spirit of peace and international understanding in young people worldwide. 2023-2024 Lions International Peace Essay Grand Prize Winner Yetka Yağiz Demírtas, Age 12 “Drawers of My Mind” Today I gathered all my courage for a long journey: And opened the drawers of my mind. I started from the top drawer because the most used things are always at the top. I saw everyday topics there: What to do, study, eat, to brush teeth and many similar things. But these are not the main goals of my discovery. So, I gently closed the first drawer. It was the second drawer's turn. I said, "let's find it this time". There resided slightly different things. What I keep as memories and symbolic items that left a mark on me. A key that my parents gave me to open the door. However, I never come home alone. Then I realized that it was actually meant to tell me that this is my home and that I am a part of this home. Then I saw the notebook my father gave me on my ninth birthday. On the first page he noted: "My son, my pride, my dear... I believe that you will take notes on many pages, like the ones on this notebook, and become a very important scientist. Wish you good luck, I love you. Your father". As today's twelve years old Yekta Yağiz, I understand that my father gave me a very valuable gift; his trust. With this understanding, I moved to the third drawer of my mind. This time I opened it with more excitement. And soon realized that it was pitch black. But black doesn't always mean darkness. I looked deeply at the very center of that blackness. I remembered how everyone is constantly telling me that "I can't do it, be careful, it's difficult". Then a glimmer of hope shining in my eyes said... "Don't be afraid, Yekta! Dare to dream!" I dared to see through my heart among the "actually blind" who closed their eyes to hope and imagination. I raised my head up to the sky and dreamed. As they said, I couldn't see colors, but I added a thousand colors to the rainbow in my imagination. White is not always bright, and black is not always scary. These are all misconceptions piled up in the drawers of our minds. I didn't have a fourth drawer. We can't always find a new drawer to start over. But I can fill the empty black drawer with dreams. That's what I'm doing now. What I have done so far and my self-confidence proved that I am on the right track. As my father's wish, I am on my way to become a scientist. This might be considered a dream for a visually impaired person. But I have the courage to make it happen. I am a good swimmer and a good runner today. Only because I dreamed that I would succeed. Now it's time to continue to "dare to dream", without letting anyone stop me. My journey is full of hope. And it is ETERNAL. About Lions International Lions International is the largest service club organization in the world. More than 1.4 million members in over 49,000 clubs are serving in 200 countries and geographic areas around the globe. Since 1917, Lions have strengthened local communities through hands-on service and humanitarian projects, and we extend our service impact through the generous support of our Lions Clubs International Foundation. We are focused on supporting vision, the environment, childhood cancer, hunger, diabetes and other pressing humanitarian needs to help address some of the biggest challenges facing humanity. For more information about Lions International, visit lionsclubs.org.

March 07, 2024 01:02 PM Eastern Standard Time

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