WYMD Essay Contest

Let's start the week with some work ;)

The World Youth Movement for Democracy, a youth network of the World Movement for Democracy, is pleased to announce the launch of its Global Essay Contest. Fifteen semi-finalists (3 in each region: Asia, Central/Eastern Europe & Eurasia, Middle East & North Africa, Latin America & Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa) will be announced on Human Rights Day, December 10, and will have their essays published on the WYMD Web site. Two global winners will be invited to participate in the upcoming Community of Democracies Ministerial Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July 2011.  

Questions

Democracy has been practiced in different ways and in different contexts. We believe there are core universal democratic values and aspirations that we all share, which transcend our differences, even though we live in different cultures, speak different languages, and eat different food. The purpose of this essay contest is to highlight personal engagement in democracy by promoting critical thinking about the role of young people in democracy and to connect youth with broader democracy movements. The questions posed below for this essay contest aim to challenge youth to write about their perspectives on democracy and their understanding of democracy activism, particularly their own.

Essays are required to address one or more of the following questions:

1. In what ways have young people contributed to democratic participation in your community? Highlighting some of the strategies and tools they have used, what difference have their

efforts made?

2. New media and social networking are increasingly becoming popular tools for community organizing. In what ways have you and/or your organization been using new media for democracy promotion? How effective has it been and what challenges have you faced in using these tools?

3. What practices, do you think exemplify human rights activist protection or violation in your country that is not openly recognized? What do you think are the justifications for this and how can it be either replicated, in the case of a good example or stopped, in the case of  a bad example?

4. What new factors can youth activists bring to longstanding human rights issues in your country? How have these issues been addressed in the past?

Submissions

Please submit your essay by World Youth Day for Democracy, 18 October 2010, via email attachment as a Word document. The format must have 1’’ margins, double spaced, Times New Roman font, and size 12 font. Please make sure to clearly designate, in the body of your  email, full name, age, gender, physical address, and phone number, to the relevant regional email address listed below. Do not enter your name or other details on your actual essay. Essays can be submitted in Arabic, English, French, Russian, or Spanish, and the essay must be no more than 2,000 words. Authors must be no younger than 18 and no older than 30 years old before

October 18).

. Asia: WYMD.ASIA@GMAIL.COM

. Central and Eastern Europe & Eurasia: WYMD.EURASIA@GMAIL.COM

. Middle East & North Africa: WYMD.MENA@GMAIL.COM

. Latin America & Caribbean: WYMD.LAC@GMAIL.COM

. Sub-Saharan Africa: WYMD.AFRICA@GMAIL.COM

More info here

Culture of Enterprise Essay Contest

Questions: “Can Character and Communities Survive in an Age of Globalization?”

The Culture of Enterprise Project annually sponsors an international student essay contest on the topic "Can Character and Communities Survive in an Age of Globalization?" The contest is designed to encourage students to reflect on the relationship between free enterprise and the institutions and mores that define a particular culture.

First Place $10,000

Second Place $5,000

Third Place $2,000

Fourth Place $1,500

Fifth Place $1,000

Deadline: December 31, 2010

More information here.

Seven and CIFA Essay Contest

The S.E.VEN Fund (SEVEN) is pleased to announce its 2010-11 Essay Competition in partnership with the Washington DC-based Center For Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA). We are seeking essays on enterprise solutions to poverty from around the globe that are faith-based, faith-inspired, or interfaith efforts. The competition will award two (2) prizes of US $5,000. The submission deadline is October 15, 2010 at midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST). Winners will be announced on December 15, 2010.

Essay Question

Writers are asked to submit a first-person narrative describing enterprise solutions to poverty that are faith-based, faith-inspired, or interfaith efforts. Illustrations may come from any domain, including healthcare, education, consumer products, human rights, and others; examples must represent innovative private solutions to public problems.

Background

We are interested in exploring the relationship of business to faith. Is business, when guided by faith, more effective at creating prosperity around the world? Does a faith perspective change a business’ relationship to its key stakeholders (customers, owners, workers, future generations) in a positive way? Are faith-based and faith-inspired enterprise solutions to poverty more effective than conventional methods? Can interfaith efforts bridge gaps that secular efforts cannot? Does a faith-based understanding of entrepreneurship and profit-making infuse business with a profound moral purpose? Does the combination of sound business principles and concern for others result in sustainable, long-term solutions?

While we often hear of secular efforts to fight poverty and its related issues, we rarely hear profound stories describing the experiences of people who integrate a spiritual perspective. We aim to change that, and are interested in hearing stories exemplifying enterprise solutions to poverty that are faith-based, faith-inspired, or grounded in interfaith collaborations/partnerships.

More information here. 

NFC Essay Contest

Apologies for not posting for days...you know how the rains affect the internet :( Bad combo it is!

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has called for entries for its 2010/2011 annual film essay competition. Submission of entries for the competition with ‘Film: A Tool for Socio-Cultural Integration and Tourism Promotion’ as its topic, will open on July 1 and close on August 31, 2010.

The competition, is open to people aged 18 and above only. 

Essays to be considered must have a minimum of 10 pages and a maximum of 15 pages. They should be typed double space with Calibri font type, 14 point size and on A4 paper.

Hard copies of entries can be submitted to the headquarters of the NFC at 213T, Liberty Dam Road, Jos, Plateau State or its offices in Lagos, Abuja and Kano. The NFC’s Lagos office is located at the National Theatre Annex while its Abuja office is on the First Floor, Shippers Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja. NFC is within the State secretariat in Kano. Entries can also be sent by e-mail to md_nfc@hotmail.com

All the best people!

Words Against CyberCrime...An Essay Competition

It's essay competition galore these days. Write! Write!! Write!!!


With support from Microsoft, PIN, HIIT and Mediacore, YGC-Africa presents The First Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative in Nigeria's National Anti Cyber-Crime Essay Competition.

Theme--Cybercrime in Nigeria: Way Out
Rules: 

• Essays are expected from young writers aged between 17 and 28. 
• Essays should be written to the following specifications: Font size 12, Times New Roman and double spaced.
• Minimum of two pages and maximum of four pages

Awards
The top ten essay writers will be made YGC Ambassadors for a period of one year during which they will have opportunities of meeting world class personalities as they develop mini projects on cybercrime solutions (as proposed by them) in their immediate communities.

First Prize: N50,000 + Free Microsoft Certification Training
Second Prize: N30,000 + Free Microsoft Certification Training
Third Prize: N20,000 + Free Microsoft Certification Training

Essays are to be submitted online to essays@ygcafrica.org.

Deadline for submission is June 7, 2010
Winners will be announced and rewarded at the annual CHANGE summit holding in Lagos on July 24th.
More information here: www.ygcafrica.org, info@ygcafrica.org or call: 08062985693, 07085384103.

Write CyberCrime away!

Essay Contest: Youth Entrepreneurship in times of crisis

Hope the weekend was fun...we thought we should start the week off with something sweet; something to make you smile and well, get working!

Young people worldwide face difficult labor market prospects. Depending on the region, youth unemployment is easily 2-3 times higher than for adults. Especially in developing countries, the school-to-work transition can be a long and tedious process, during which young people leave school, become jobless and spend time moving between unemployment, inactivity and informal
employment. In fact, youth have often been found to effectively act as a "buffer," absorbing shocks disproportionately during negative business cycles, but not benefiting accordingly during economic booms. In the quest for strategies to boost employment for young people, entrepreneurship is often seen as an important means and a useful alternative for income generation. With most of the overall job creation usually stemming from small enterprises, supporting youth entrepreneurship is now often regarded as an additional way of integrating youth into the labor market and overcoming poverty. However, while it is recognized that the youth years are essential for generating ideas and acquiring the necessary experience to become
a successful entrepreneur, young people themselves only make up a small share of all entrepreneurs.

The Y2Y Global Youth Conference 2009 Essay Competition invites youth to share ideas on:
What are the constraints to youth entrepreneurship in your country? Has the global crisis changed the dynamics? How can governments help young entrepreneurs to create and further develop their social and productive ventures? Please try to answer the following questions in one consistent essay:

• What impedes young people in your country or community to start their own business or organization? Think about the constraints in terms of socioeconomic conditions, culture, education & experience, access to finance & infrastructure, contacts & networks, and regulations. In how far are these constraints specific to youth compared to adults?
• Did the global financial crisis reinforce some of these constraints? If yes, what are the dynamics?
• What do you think governments can/should do to strengthen youth entrepreneurship in your country, town or local community? Think about the solutions in terms of the constraints identified above.

More info here but before then the deadline for submission is: September 22, 2009

CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION

Happy new month to all Bookaholics!

We welcome you to July with this however don't let the seeming illusion that the deadline is far off be a clog in your writing wheels; start writing NOW. Well, that's if you are interested in winning 1,000 dollars!

Topic: Nigerian Women and Development: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

The competition is open to young women and men between ages 20-40 years to develop skills in writing, designing and creating short plays, essays and poetry and to stimulate their interest in issues regarding the changing roles of women in society. Interested participants are requested to send in an original scholarly writing in form of prose or short play or poetry to express their ideas about the selected theme.

Submission of entries: Participants should submit soft copies electronically to info@chdafrica.org and 2 hard copies to Centre for Human Development, Suite 1 , First Floor, New Adeoyo Road , Off Ring Road , Ibadan , Oyo State.

Prizes: $1,000 will be awarded to the winner in each category of the competition.

Deadline: December 31st, 2009.

More about the Competition:

Within the framework of its strategy of educating the youth on Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality, the Centre for Human Development (CHD), with support of the Ford Foundation in Nigeria, is organising a writing competition on the above theme to underscore the important role of the Nigerian Women’s Movement in the quest for women’s empowerment, gender equality and sustainable development. This Creative Writing Competition is designed to celebrate the productive roles and achievements of women in national development in the last 50 years, stimulate enquiry into the changing roles of women in society and institute a gender sensitive representation of arts and culture.

For further enquiries call 08089803557, 08098060004 or visit the Centre’s website.

GOI Foundation Essay Competition

2009 International Essay Contest for Young People

Theme: The role of science in building a better world. 

Scientific progress has brought many benefits to humanity, while some applications of science have had adverse impacts. What kind of science and technology do you think is needed for realizing a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable world for all? Please express your vision for the future of science, including examples of studies or researches you wish to engage in. (We would have preferred it to be the role of art or literature towards the realisation of a peaceful world)

RULES

• Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 30, 2009) in one of the following age categories:
• Essays must be 800 words or less, typed or printed in English, French, Spanish or German

Deadline: Entries must be received by June 30, 2009.

Read more here.

Afrigrowth Essay Competition

Are you eligible to participate or do you know anyone who is?

Theme: Mentorship

Age group: 18 and 25

Deadline: May 30, 2009


Details BELOW

Topic: Mentoring: A Panacea for Sustainable Growth and Development

Write a 2,000 word essay on how mentoring could be a solution for sustainable growth and development for Youths, How mentoring could build a better society, How mentoring could aid character development and good leadership, the role of mentoring in national development.

Prizes
• Grand Prize: Laptop and N50,000 cash
• 2nd Prize: IPOD and N35,000
• 3rd Prize : DVD N15,000

Supported by Omatek and FINBank

Click here and here for more information