Western RO: Cluj-Napoca to host the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Global Forum next year

Cluj Napoca will host the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Global Forum in 2021. The event is set to take place between October 4 and October 9 of next year.

The event, which takes place every three years, will bring together international youth and education stakeholders, including global directors of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program and trustees.

“2021 marks the 100th birthday of HRH Prince Philip, and we are honored to host the world’s leaders of the Award program to help plan its future and growth. In 2018, Cluj was selected to host this global event - the first time the Forum has been held by a country outside of the Commonwealth and the first time to be hosted by a former Warsaw Pact country. It speaks volumes about Romania and also Cluj Napoca, as a city that can host world-class events. We hope and pray that Covid-19 will not be around next year, but we are a year out, and so we are planning for every eventuality. We want to ensure that this Global Forum is not just the best ever, but the most accessible too so that our guests receive the same warm welcome from Romania wherever they are in the world,” Shajjad Rizvi, the chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Romania, said.

Previous hosts of the Global Forum have been Ghana, Canada, Australia, Malta, South Africa, and the UK.

Founded by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a “global framework for non-formal education and learning, challenging young people to be world-ready, to discover their potential and find their purpose, passion, and place in the world.”

The program operates in more than 130 countries and territories across the globe.

In Romania, the program engages over 10,000 young people and 1,000 teachers and youth workers. It runs in cities, rural and remote areas, through government and independent schools, universities and colleges, and a wide range of organizations, sports clubs, employers, youth detention centers, and community youth organizations.

(Photo courtesy of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award)