Prague, Oct 16 (CTK) – Prince Edward, the youngest son of British Queen Elizabeth II, will visit the Czech Republic next week to present gold medals within the Duke of Edinburgh International Award (DofE Award) educational programme, in which 2,500 young Czechs participate this year, Martin Batko told CTK on behalf of the organisers on Monday.
The DofE award programme, determined for young people aged 14-24, has been organised annually since 1956 in more than 140 countries and since 1994 in the Czech Republic as well. Its participants set out goals in four areas – talent, sport, volunteering and expeditions, and try to meet them while being helped by an adult mentor.
This year, the Czech Republic also hosts the International Gold Event (IGE), for which the programme’s alumni will come from around the world, Batko said.
The IGE is organised once in three years in one of the world’s regions and it is to return to Europe after 18 years now, he said.
The preparation of a project that is connected with one of ten defined areas related to sustainable development is the focus of the IGE in 2017.
Young leaders will be considering the establishment of start-ups, socially responsible businesses and the integration of disadvantaged groups into society. They will defend their projects in front of an international jury, on which Prince Edward also sits.
