ABOUT THE COMPETITION

In partnership with Maybank Foundation, the ASEAN Foundation is pleased to invite writers across ASEAN to participate in the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers (MWEW) First Edition of the “Weaving Tales” Short Story Competition.

MWEW is a programme that promotes traditional textiles globally in a sustainable manner whilst creating economic independence and financial inclusion for women weavers across ASEAN region. The “Weaving Tales” Short Story Competition was launched with the aim to preserve the traditions and cultural heritage across the region, and to foster building the ASEAN identity as aligned to the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, in addition to promoting the aspirations of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The theme of this MWEW First Edition is "Preservation and Acknowledgment of the Ancient Art of Textile Weaving Across ASEAN".

The competition will provide the opportunity for all participating writers to present their creativity, imagination, visions, hopes and worries to the struggles to preserve the ancient art of textile weaving by the women weavers across ASEAN in the format of a short literature.

ELIGIBILITY, RULES, AND COPYRIGHT

Eligibility

• The competition is open to all writers who are citizens of ASEAN Member States (AMS)—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

Criteria

• Each participant may submit only one story to the competition.
• The closing date for submission is 23:59 PM (GMT +7), Sunday, 28 February 2021. Late entries will not be accepted.

Entry and Selection Rules

• Each stories entry must clearly and creatively address the theme "Preservation and Acknowledgment of the Ancient Art of Textile Weaving Across ASEAN".
• Entries must be written in English of 250 (minimum) to 500 words (maximum) that fit onto two A4 pieces of paper recto-verso.
• Entries must be typed using Calibri 12-point regular font and 1.15 line spacing.
• Entries must be original piece, must not have won award or must not under consideration in other competitions.
• Authors must exercise stringent care to avoid plagiarism. Entries containing any forms of plagiarism will not be tolerated.
• Stories must reflect on the values of inclusivism, anti-discrimination, equality, and gender responsive.
• Entries must reflect on the inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable future of Eco weaving tradition.
• Drawings and illustrations are optional.
• Entries depicting violence, sexism, racism, or other inappropriate content such as smoking, drinking, or other vices, including messaging deemed to advocate curtailment of the rights of others, will be disqualified.

Copyrights

• By entering the competition, participants acknowledge and guarantee that the submitted stories is an original work created solely by the entrant and that it does not infringe on copyrights; trademarks; and the rights of privacy, publicity, or intellectual property rights of any person or entity.
• By submitting an entry to the competition, participants agree to grant ASEAN Foundation and Maybank Foundation the right to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the entry in any media at any time.

Submission Rules

Each participating writer must submit their works through online application form and follow the instructions outlined below:

1. Complete your profile including name, gender, age, nationality, contact and address;
2. Attach your short story in the available column as a Word or a PDF format;
3. Complete brief information about your short story, e.g. the title and the word count;

Participation in the competition implies full acceptance and comprehension of these rules and all of the provisions. Please mind that non-compliance will result in disqualification.

Awards

• Cash prizes in the tone of USD$ 250 for the top 20 selected stories:
• The winning entries will be published in the MWEW First Edition.

Selected stories will be published in the MWEW First Edition hardcover book featuring all winning short stories and honourable mentions. It will be available in e-book to be showcased on the Maybank Foundation’s and the ASEAN Foundation’s websites. It will be widely disseminated to all their networks across ASEAN and globally.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Awarding Ceremony will be conducted online in early 2021, in which the invitation will be issued later to all the participating writers.

Each of the 20 Awardees will be granted USD 250 worth award, a personalised certificate and copies of the MWEW First Edition book in the mail.

Elements of the winning entries, profile of the writers, and testimonials may also be published on the organiser’s website and social media accounts for publication and communication use of the competition and the work of Maybank Foundation and the ASEAN Foundation.

The organiser holds the right to exchange the Awards for a similar Award of the same value. No award may be subject for a refund or for exchange.

The organiser shall not be held responsible for theft, loss or damages of awards after it has been awarded to the awardee.

DATA PROTECTION

The information provided by the participants may be used for any public disclosure, advertising material, promotional material, press release, interview or reportage. The organiser holds rights on any reference to the name, logo or any trademark of the programme and may use it for the purpose of non-commercial promotion or political use.

Participants may request to be omitted or removed from the competition prior to the closing date of the submission (28 February 2021).

CONTACT INFORMATION: If you have questions regarding the ASEAN Eco Weaving. Stories Competition, please contact [email protected]

Submit your story here

Competition closes at 23:59 (GMT +7), Sunday, 28 February 2021.

The “Weaving Tales” Short Story Competition is organised by the Maybank Foundation and the ASEAN Foundation.

About Maybank Women Eco-Weavers

Maybank Women Eco-Weavers is a programme that promotes traditional textiles globally in a sustainable manner whilst creating economic independence and financial inclusion for women weavers across the ASEAN region. Currently running in Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia, Maybank Women Eco-Weavers has a key objective of creating economic independence and financial inclusion for women weavers through sustainable woven textile production. As part of a holistic approach to ensure sustainability in the weaving ecosystem, we also infuse sericulture programmes to help mulberry farmers who play a major part in the silk supply chain in selected countries. Ultimately, whilst focusing on the women weavers, this award-winning programme aims to provide financial uplift to as many people as possible in the art of textile weaving.

About Maybank Foundation

Maybank Foundation was inaugurated as the main vehicle for corporate responsibility across MAYBANK GROUP. Maybank Foundation’s mandate is to identify programmes that will have the most tangible and sustainable results – efforts that will bring measurable change over the long term. The focus of the Foundation is to enhance quality of life for all, irrespective of race, gender, or creed with an emphasis on the poor and marginalised.

About ASEAN Foundation

Three decades after ASEAN was established, ASEAN leaders recognised that: there remained inadequate shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness and contact among the people of ASEAN. It was of this concern that ASEAN leaders established ASEAN Foundation in Jakarta, Indonesia, at ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 15 December 1997. The ASEAN Foundation is an organisation from and for the people of ASEAN. The Foundation exists because of one vision: to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community. As an ASEAN body, the Foundation is tasked to support ASEAN mainly in promoting awareness, identity, interaction and development of the people of ASEAN.