QUEEN’S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION 2024 FOR YOUNG WRITERS FROM COMMONWEALTH NATIONS. (FUNDED TRIP TO LONDON)
Application Deadline: 15 May 2024.
Applications are now open for the 2024 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. The theme for the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will take place in Samoa in October 2024, is ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth’.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 invites entrants from the Senior and Junior categories to explore resilience and hope in the face of global challenges. The competition encourages participants to consider the impact of their culture and community in fostering these qualities. The themes for the competition are as follows:
Senior Category (14-18 years old):
- “It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.”– Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. What small steps can you take to help tackle the climate crisis?
- Write a speech highlighting what you think is the most challenging issue facing the world today, and how Commonwealth values can be used to solve it.
- At the heart of Samoan way of life is ‘aiga’, meaning ‘family’ values including selflessness, hospitality, co-operation, respect and dignity. What core values and ideas from your culture can be used to enhance co-operation and community in the Commonwealth?
- The Commonwealth’s London Declaration aimed to strive for peace, liberty and progress. Write a letter to your President or Prime Minister about how to achieve those aims.
Junior Category (under 14 years of age):
- What new habit could you adopt to positively contribute towards a greener Commonwealth?
- Write a dialogue between yourself and a grandparent about resilience and hope. What can you share with the older generation, and what can you learn from them?
- You are taking part in a beach clean-up and discover that you can speak to sea creatures. What are they saying, and how do you respond?
- You’re on a school exchange in a Commonwealth country different to your own. How do you make friends with people your age? (Consider similarities and differences in culture that may unite you).
Top Prizes and Awards:
- The top two winners from each category will be awarded with a trip to London for a week of educational and cultural events, culminating in a special Awards Ceremony at a royal palace.
- All successful entries will receive a Certificate of Participation, and a number of entrants will receive Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards for excellence in writing.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
Source: OFA
