Deadline: May 1st 2014
Are you a writer? Are you interested in the world around you? Do you want your voice to be heard by others? If so, the Commonwealth Essay Competition is definitely for you.
Run by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883, the Commonwealth Essay Competition is the world’s oldest and largest schools’ international writing competition. It provides a platform for young people to compete with their peers in a truly global environment.
The theme for the 2014 Commonwealth Essay Competition is ‘Team Commonwealth‘. As athletes gather in Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, team spirit will be on display both within and between nations. Young writers are encouraged to explore this theme in fun, academic, witty, and most of all creative ways!
Eligibility
- 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.
Entrants are judged in two age groups, Junior (under 14 years) and Senior (14–18 years) and must be living in, or be a national of, a Commonwealth country/territory
Junior Category – Born after 1st May 2000
Topic Numbers
1. Tell us about your family or friends. Who are the team players and who are the stars?
2. ‘You’re one of us now.’
3. What makes a good team? What makes a good team player?
4. Tell us about an instance (or two) where people from different generations have worked together.
5. Have there been times in your life when you wished you had someone to team up with?
Senior Category:Born between 2nd May 1995 and 1st May 2000
Topic Numbers
1. Team Commonwealth! How would you describe what your country has to offer other members of
the team?
2. How can sport build peace in troubled communities?
3. What part does competition play in people’s daily lives?
4. Explore the relationship between ethics, sport and human rights.
5. ‘We’re a good partnership, you and I!’
Junior and Senior : A bonus topic open to all entrants
1. ‘United we stand!’
The 2014 Commonwealth Essay Competition, run in partnership with Cambridge University Press, closes for entries on Thursday 1st May.
Entrants are encouraged to be creative in their response. Answers can be submitted in a number
of formats, for example: poem, letter, folk tale, script or essay – the choice is yours!
Past prizes have included
- Certificates •
- Resources for winner’s school •
- Being invited to meet famous authors •
- Taking part in expert workshops •
Work experience at international organisations • Entries featured in worldwide media.
How to enter
All essays must be in English and can be submitted with an entry form online or via post. For details on postal hubs and how to submit your essay, please visit www.thercs.org
FAO Young Commonwealth Competitions,
The Royal Commonwealth Society,
25 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5AP*
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Commonwealth Essay Competition