UN announces essay contest winners

JAKARTA: The United Nations office in Indonesia announced on Monday the winners of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) essay competition.

Mariel Grazella Purnawan of Pelita Harapan University in Tangerang, Banten, took the top cash prize of Rp 10 million (US$1,089), while Hermanto from the Soegijapranata Catholic University in Semarang came second to win Rp 7.5 million and Linda Kartika of the Petra Christian University in Surabaya finished third to take Rp 5 million.

The essay competition was aimed at raising an awareness of the millennium goals among young people, said UN Resident Coordinator Bo Asplund.

The MDGs, signed by all 189 UN member states, consist of the pledges of the signatories to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure sustainability of the environment and develop partnerships for development by 2015. --JP