Deadline: May 1, 2015
Are you a writer interested in the world around you? Do you want your voice to be heard by others? Enter now for the 2015 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition organized in partnership with Cambridge University Press. This essay competition gives young people from diverse backgrounds a platform to express their views about the world and their dreams for the future.
From 2015, ‘The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition’, is organized in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s role as both Head of the Commonwealth and Patron of the Royal Commonwealth Society. Open to all Commonwealth citizens aged 18 and under, the Essay Competition offers young people the opportunity to make their voice heard on a global platform and engage with issues important to them.
The Theme
This year’s theme, ‘A Young Commonwealth’, recognises that young people account for the majority of the Commonwealth’s population and play a vital role in shaping the world that we live in, now and in years to come. The Royal Commonwealth Society is inviting young people to share their hopes and concerns for the future, thereby generating an important youth perspective and Commonwealth wide dialogue as the international community gathers to set development goals for the next 15 years.
Topics
Participants are encouraged to be creative in their response. Answers can be submitted in number of formats, for example: poem, letter, folk tale, script or essay. Multiple submissions are not allowed and will lead to disqualification.
Junior Category
Born after 1st May 2001 (under 14 years)
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of being young?
- Imagine what the world will be like when you are an old person.
- I am the future!
- Imagine you are a young person living in a different part of the Commonwealth. What is life like for you?
Senior Category
Born between 2nd May 1996 and 1st May 2001 (14-18 years)
- What do you hope to achieve in your lifetime?
- In 2030 you will no longer be young. What changes would you like to see in the world in 15 years’ time?
- Youth versus experience.
- Fresh perspectives. What can a young Commonwealth offer?
Eligibility
- The competition is open to young writers aged 18 and under who are living in, or a national of, a Commonwealth country or territory.
- All entries must be in English and are to be submitted online.
- For more information, see the Terms and Conditions.
For more information, visit Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.
