Deadline: 9 October 2024
Registration is now open for the ICU Global Youth Essay Competition 2024 . The International Christian University (ICU) and the Japan ICU Foundation invite young people from all over the world to share their views on how to make society better. Each year, essay topics are selected in the areas of human rights and current affairs.
Essays should focus on one of this year's topics. Select one of the following questions in the areas of human rights and current events.
- ICU's mission is to train students who will contribute to world peace. Although they say "world" peace, in reality all the issues facing humanity, local and global, are deeply interconnected, and "peace" can mean different things depending on the situation. Give an example of a global issue that affects your local community, why it matters to you and how you would act to bring peace to that situation.
- Their name, International Christian University, shows their commitment to being "international" and to maintaining an open and welcoming campus. They believe in the spirit of Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that "everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific progress and its benefits". Are there people around you who don't/aren't able to participate in the cultural life of your community? Why do you think this is and how would you act to ensure that your cultural life is accessible to all?
There are no right answers to these questions; they are not looking for essays that propose the "right" solutions that already exist. They want to learn about YOUR original ideas. When writing, start by reflecting on your own experience, think about what the problem is and then write your opinion.
Prizes
- Main prize (1 winner): Two return air tickets to Tokyo in the summer of 2025 for the winner and a guardian. A visit to the ICU will be incorporated into the trip. Instead of the plane tickets, the winner of the main prize has the option of receiving 100,000 yen.
- Second prize (1 winner): 50,000 yen gift voucher
- Third Prize (10 winners): A copy of " Illustrated Universal Declaration of Human Rights in French, English and Japanese" translated by UTI students.
- Special Prize (1 winner) for those who have not studied English for more than 1 year: same as 3rd prize
Eligibility
- Open to young people from all over the world.
- Applicants must be between 14 and 18 years old on 9 October 2024 (inclusive) and currently reside outside Japan. University students as of 9 October 2024 will not be able to apply.
- Essays must be written in English.
- No more than 650 words, excluding essay title and bibliography
- Essays must have a title. Create a title that best describes the essence of your essay. The title does not count towards the word limit.
Evaluation Criteria
A group of judges from ICU and the Japan ICU Foundation will assess all the essays using the following factors:
- Thesis
- Supporting arguments
- Originality
- Writing execution (Audience/Coherence/Clarity/Grammar/Style)
All essays will be checked for plagiarism, as well as the AI generator checker.
Application
All essays must be submitted online via the Submittable platform. The application form will be open from 9 August to 9 October 2024.