RAISING OUR VOICES 2022 

(VIRTUAL EDITION)
PROGRAM PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS 
Thank you for applying to participate to the first virtual edition of Raising Our Voices!

Please review the program’s requirements. After review, if you still wish to participate,

please send a signed copy of this document and a photo (passport type picture) to: 
SallK@state.gov and dakarirc@gmail.com by Thursday, February 17 at 05:00 p.m. at the latest.
 
Participation Requirements: 
 You must be a member of the American Center Dakar. 
 You must be 18 or older. 
 Participants of previous editions of “Raising Our Voices” can participate as
audience but not as a contestant. If you participate to the contest before, whether you
were among the winner or not, you cannot be a competitor again. You can only
compete once.
 You can only perform the poem or speech you selected. No more than 2 people
can select the same poem/speech. The speech selection will be based on a first come,
first served basis. Once your choice is validated by Mrs. Sall, please follow the below
instructions to record your video.  

What are your next steps?

All the below steps should be done between Tuesday, February 15 and Thursday, February
17 at 05:00 p.m. at the latest.

STEP 1
Send an email to Mrs. Sall SallK@state.gov and dakarirc@gmail.com
In your email, you should attach:

1. A signed copy of this document (make sure you answer all four questions on page 2)
2. Attach a photo of yourself (it should be a passport type photo)
3. Send your poem or speech selection to Mrs. Sall for validation. Send the poem’s full title
and author.

STEP 2
After you send that email:

 Wait for Mrs. Sall to approve your poem or speech selection.

 Once your choice has been approved, you can start getting ready.

STEP 3
 
Before you start recording: 
 Find a quiet place! Make sure you are in an environment free of background
noises: we should only hear you on the video. 
 Memorize the poem or speech.  
 Rehearse as many times as needed prior to recording. 
 Pick one person to record the video for you.  
 The person must not appear on camera, his/her only role is to record the video.  
  Make sure the phone or camera used to record is stable to avoid too many
movements. 
 Conduct a sound and video check before: make sure the sound and video features
are set up accordingly. 
 Make sure to place yourself in front of the camera. 
 Make sure that your face is visible. 
 Ensure you select a clear or blurred background, so the focus is on you. 
 Review the video for the above qualities before submitting. 
 Keep in mind that the video should not exceed 4 minutes (including
introductions). 
 
When you start recording: 
 Before starting your performance, state your full name and age.  
 After you mention your name, state 1) the poem’s or speech’s title, 2) the name of
the speaker or author and 3) the year (all the information is on the poems’ list). 
 Speak loudly and clearly. 
 Perform. 
 
After you start recording: 
 Make sure the quality of the video is up to standard. 
 You can send us the file at dakarirc@gmail.com on Thursday, February 24 at
05:00 p.m. at the latest. Videos received after that the deadline will not be
considered.  
 You can only submit one video so make sure you send us the final version. 
 
If your video is selected, the American Center Team will inform you and share additional details
regarding the public speaking contest. This year, in addition to the panel of judges, we are
introducing audience voting. They will be able to select their favorite performer.  

Please answer the five questions below:

1. Are you a member of the American Center Dakar? Êtes-vous membre du

American Center?
Yes/Oui No/Non
2. Are you 18 or older? Avez-vous plus de 18 ans?

Yes/Oui No/Non

3. Did you participate to a previous edition of “Raising Our Voices” as a

contestant? Avez-vous participé à une édition précédente en tant que
compétiteur?

Yes/Oui No/Non

4. Did you win a previous edition of “Raising Our Voices”? Faisiez vous parti
des gagnants lors d’une edition précédente?

Yes/Oui No/Non
 5. Was the poem or speech you selected approved by Mrs. Sall? Le poème ou
discours que vous avez selectionné a t-il été approuvé par Mme Sall?

Yes/Oui No/Non

Sign the page below and send a photo (passport type picture) to: dakarirc@gmail.com and
SallK@state.gov by Thursday, February 17 at 05:00 p.m. at the latest.
By signing this document, I acknowledge that I have read the program’s requirements and I
allow the American Center Team to use the footage I provide on its social media platforms,
including still images should my video be selected. 
 
Full Name:                                         Date:                                                   Signature: