Friends of the Arc (FOTA)
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

$1,000 Prize Announced for Memo to President Obama on Middle East Peace

Friends of the Arc (www.friendsofthearc.org) announces a $1,000 prize for the best essay by a college or graduate student, in the form of a policy brief to President Barack Obama, on the topic of the usefulness of RAND Corporation’s Arc concept for the current Middle East negotiations.

Submissions should respond to the following prompt:
With the resumption of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, many observers doubt that more purely political discussions will finally produce a comprehensive peace settlement; they suggest that some paradigm-changing idea is needed to break the deadlock.

You have been asked to brief President Obama about the Arc project. Prepare a policy brief making the case that the Arc plan is just such a compelling idea, and that with U.S. support, it could help negotiators achieve a breakthrough for peace.

Submissions are due October 8, 2010, at 6 pm ET and should be no more than 1,000 words in length. Before crafting their submissions, participants should view the 30-minute Arc video and other resources at www.friendsofthearc.org. College and graduate students from any country are eligible to apply.

The winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and will be featured on our website. FOTA reserves the right to post all essays on its website and to send one or more to President Obama.

For all competition details, please visit www.friendsofthearc.org/essaycontest
About Friends of the Arc (FOTA): FOTA is a nonprofit advocacy organization that believes that he Arc, developed by the RAND Corporation and Suisman Urban Design, has the potential to ensure a viable Palestinian state and a Middle East that knows sustainable peace, prosperity, and security.

Contact:
Mr. Art Winter
Phone: +1.847.492.5400
Email: info@friendsofthearc.org
Press release, photos, and videos available at friendsofthearc.org/essaycontest