Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition opens for entries

ISLAMABAD: The Royal Commonwealth Society announced to welcome entries for the prestigious Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, held with support by the Lagos State Government, until 30 June 2023.

Thousands of young people participate in this annual contest, which is the world's oldest international essay writing competition which is aimed at recognising achievement, elevating youth voices and developing key skills through creative writing, a news release stated on Tuesday.

This time around, the contest has sought an exploration into the power held by young people in the global community and consideration of how the power could be used to make a meaningful impact in the world.

This focus coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Youth Programme, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government declaring 2023 a year dedicated to youth-led action for sustainable and inclusive development.

Essays are submitted in two categories — a 'senior category' born between 1 July 2004 and 30 June 2009 and a ‘junior category’ born on or after 1 July 2009.

All successful entries will receive a certificate of participation. Whereas, the top two winners from each category will be awarded a trip to London for a week of educational and cultural events, culminating in a special awards ceremony at a royal palace.

Pakistani youth have done extremely well in recent years with Zahra Hussain, a student of Lahore Grammar School International, coming first in the senior category in 2018 and Zainab Nawaz, an eighth grade student, achieving a bronze award in the junior category in 2022.

"The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay is a fantastic opportunity for young Pakistanis to engage with the Commonwealth and sharpen their writing skills to become the future leaders of tomorrow," said Zoë Ware, the acting deputy head of mission at the British High Commission.

“Sixty per cent of the Commonwealth’s 2.5 billion people are under the age of 30. This young demographic represents a dynamic ‘youth force for change’, made up of exceptional young people who are increasingly involved in advocacy, decision-making and action. I hope to see some winning essays from young Pakistanis in this year’s competition,” she added.