2015 UNESCO-Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People Worldwide

Applications are open for the 2015 UNESCO-Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People Worldwide. The international essay contest is aimed at youth all around the world, interested applicants are advised to follow the guidelines below.

Essay Description

What kind of future do you wish to create for yourself and the world?
The Goi Peace Foundation UNESCO International Essay Contest for Young People offers you the opportunity to share your dream and ideas for making it a reality. Plus monies to be won. The Goi Peace Foundation and UNESCO are offering an International Essay Contest for young people around the world. 

The international Essay contest is aimed to enable young people develop their full potential, as they are crucial for the shaping of our future. UNESCO’s objective is to help empower young people, reaching out to them, responding to their expectations and ideas, and fostering useful and long-lasting skills.

Essay Guidelines / Eligibility

This annual essay contest is guided as below:
1. Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2015) in one of the following age categories:

a. Children (ages up to 14)
b. Youth (ages 15 – 25)

2. Essays must be 700 words or less in English, French, Spanish or German; or 1600 characters or less in Japanese, typed or printed.

3. Essays must have a cover page indicating:

• category (Children or Youth)essay title
• your name
• address
• phone number
• e-mail
• nationality
• age as of June 15, 2015
• gender
• school name (if applicable)
• word count.

Teachers and youth directors may submit a collection of essays from their class or group. Please enclose a list of participants’ names and the name and contact information of the submitting teacher or director.

* Entries missing any of the above information will not be considered.
Please note that:

1. Entries may be submitted by postal mail or online.
2. Essays must be original and unpublished.
3. Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted.
4. Copyright of the essays entered will be assigned to the organizers.

Eligible groups

Citizens of ANY nationality or country worldwide.

Essay Theme

Marking the 70th anniversary of UNESCO, the theme of this year’s contest is “Building Peace in Our Hearts and Minds.”

THEME: “Building Peace in Our Hearts and Minds” UNESCO was created 70 years ago to build peace in the minds of men and women as a way to attain lasting peace in the world. What does it mean to build peace in our hearts and minds? How does it relate to the world around us? Please illustrate your ideas with your personal experience.

Essay benefits

Awards will include:

• 1st Prize (for 1 entrant): Certificate and prize of 100,000 Yen (approx. US$840 as of January 2015)
• 2nd Prize (for 2 entrants): Certificate and prize of 50,000 Yen (approx. US$420 as of January 2015)
• 3rd Prize (for 5 entrants): Certificate and gift
• Honorable Mention (for 25 entrants): Certificate and gift

* 1st prize winners will be invited to the award ceremony in Tokyo, Japan scheduled for December 2015. (Travel expenses will be covered by the organizers.)
* Additional awards (Recognition for Effort, Best School Award, School Incentive Award) will be given if applicable.

All prize winners will be announced by the end of October 2015 on the Goi Peace Foundation web site – www.goipeace.or.jp and UNESCO web site – www.unesco.org/youth . Certificates and gifts will be mailed to the winners in November 2015.

Application Procedure and Deadline

Entries may be submitted by postal mail or online.
To Submit Your Essay:
1. By mail, please send entries to:
International Essay Contest
c/o The Goi Peace Foundation
1-4-5 Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 102-0093 Japan

2. OR Send online:
To send your essay online, you must go to the online registration page and follow the required steps.

DEADLINES:
For the Essay Submission deadline, entries must be received by June 15, 2015.

PLEASE NOTE:
Please note that the organizer is unable to confirm receipt of essays or answer individual inquiries concerning contest results. This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, imagination and initiative of the world’s youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development.

It also aims to inspire society to learn from the young minds and to think about how each of us can make a difference in the world.

Official UNESCO-Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest Website – http://www.goipeace.or.jp/