RSAA News:

Sir Peter Holmes Memorial Award for 2011

The Royal Society for Asian Affairs invites applications from individuals aged 18-25 for an award established in memory of Sir Peter Holmes MC (1932-2002), a long-standing member of the Society who besides becoming Chairman of the Royal Dutch Shell Group was a distinguished traveller, mountaineer, fisherman and photographer.

The aim of the award is to encourage purposeful travel in Asia by young people. Applicants should submit a plan of a project involving travel in a country or countries of Asia and relating to the geography, history, politics, environmental conservation, culture or art of the area to be visited. Any part of Asia, including the Middle East, may be chosen. Plans should be costed as far as possible and should state the duration of the travel involved and how the costs will be met. The award will be made on the basis of originality, coherence, evidence of background knowledge, and the degree to which the project is likely to add to general understanding of the area chosen and/or to benefit local people or the applicant. Preference will be given to projects that are not requirements in an academic or other course.

Applicants should provide their postal address and contact details for two referees. To avoid unnecessary expense, the aim is to make the award on the basis of written submissions, which should be no more than two sides of A4 in length and should, if possible, be sent both in electronic form and in hard copy. A one-page CV including date of birth would also be helpful, as would a statement how the applicant heard about the award. In the event that two or more submissions were deemed to be of equal worth, candidates would be called for interview in London. An acknowledgement of the application will be sent on its receipt.

The successful applicant will be expected to make a presentation to the Society about the project after its completion, and to provide a photographic or other pictorial record.

The present notice refers to travel in 2011. The award will consist of up to £1000 and two years' gratis membership of the Society. The adjudicators have discretion to divide the award among more than one candidate if appropriate.

Applications should be sent by 31 October 2010 to The Secretary, RSAA, 2 Belgrave Square, London SWlX 8PJ (email: sec@rsaa.org.uk), to whom also any queries should be addressed. The Society will notify the successful candidate by 31 January 2011.