2023 International Essay Contest for Young People with prizes

International Essay Contest for Young People with prizes

The International Essay Contest for Young People call for applicants is open for 2023! This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity 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.

International Essay Contest 2023 Details

  • Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2023) in one of the following age categories: a) Children (ages up to 14)  b) Youth (ages 15 – 25)
  • Essays must be 700 words or less in English or French, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese. Essays must be typed, with your name and essay title included at the top of the first page.
  • There are no particular rules regarding formatting (font style, size, line space, etc.). However, essays must be submitted in either MS Word (DOC/DOCX) or PDF format.
  • Essays must be original and unpublished. Plagiarized entries will be rejected.
  • Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted.
  • By submitting your essay, you give permission to the organizer to publish it in any medium. Ownership of the essay remains with the entrant.

The Essay Theme

“Youth Creating a Peaceful Future”

What does a peaceful world look like to you? How can young people work together, using creative ideas and approaches to realize a peaceful future? Please share your specific ideas.

There are no particular rules regarding formatting. However, your essay file should be in either MS Word (DOC/DOCX) or PDF format.

Essays may be in any style (thesis or prose, academic or literary), as long as the content is in line with the theme.

Who can enter the competition?

All nationalities can participate from anywhere in the world.

Essay Competition Entry fee

The essay competition is free to enter.

International Essay Contest 2023 Prizes

The following awards will be given in the Children’s category and Youth category respectively:

  • 1st Prize: Certificate, prize of 100,000 Yen (approx. US$740 as of Feb., 2023) and gift … 1 entrant
  • 2nd Prize: Certificate, prize of 50,000 Yen (approx. US$370 as of Feb., 2023) and gift … 3 entrants
  • 3rd Prize: Certificate and gift … 5 entrants
  • Honorable Mention: Certificate and gift … 25 entrants

* 1st to 3rd prize winners will be invited to the Winners Gathering to be held online.
* Additional awards (Best School Award, School Incentive Award) will be given if applicable.
* All prize winners will be announced on October 31, 2023 (Japan time) on this website. Certificates and gifts will be mailed to the winners in December 2023.
* Thry are unable to answer individual inquiries concerning contest results.

Essay Competition Application Guide

Entries must be submitted online. To send your essay online, you must go to the online registration page, and follow the required steps. Entries submitted by postal mail or e-mail are not accepted.

Teachers and youth directors may submit a collection of essays from their class or group by creating an ‘account for school/organization entrant’ on the online registration page.

Essay application Deadline

Entries must be received by June 15, 2023 (23:59 your local time).

Competition Website

You can check the essay competition website following this link.

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