Join the 2011 World Bank International Essay Competition and get a chance to win 3,000 US Dollars in the essay category and 2,000 US dollars for the video category.
This contest is open to youth aged from 18 to 25 years old. Previous winners of the World Bank International Essay competitions are no longer eligible to join.
Who can participate:
The International Essay Competition is open to all young people, students and non-students alike, between the ages of 18 and 25, from all countries of the world.
If you are at least 18 and not older than 25 on May 15, 2011, you are eligible to participate.
Please note that if you were a finalist or winner of a previous World Bank International Essay Competition, you are no longer eligible to compete.
Topic:
The World Bank International Essay Competition 2011 would like to hear your views on the opportunities, challenges and implications of youth migration.
Questions to address in your essay / video :
1) How has migration (international or internal, in a sending or a receiving country) affected you, your family, your community, or your country?
2) How do you perceive the benefits of migration (increased opportunities for young people, remittances) versus the risks (brain drain, illegal immigration and exploitation of young immigrants)?
3) What actions can you recommend for broadening opportunities for young migrants in their countries of destination and their countries of origin?
Length and format of your entry:
All work must be submitted by individuals, group work is not allowed.
One participant may only submit one work per category. However, one participant may (but doesn’t have to, of course) submit work in both categories, that is: one essay and one video.
All submissions must be made online via the Essay Competition website. Videos are submitted via YouTube.
Submissions can be made in English, French or Spanish.
Essay
Your essay may not be longer than 4000 words (about 10 pages of standard text).
Essays are accepted in the following formats: .doc or .pdf.
You are also required to provide a summary of no more than 250 words. The summary will be used by the jury to make a pre-selection.
Video
Your video may not be longer than 2 minutes.
To submit a video, you must create a YouTube account and upload your work on the YouTube website. Additionally, you are required to submit a form via the Essay Competition website, which will allow us to identify your work.
* Check out the full details of the submission process
Awards:
1. Essay
Eight finalists will participate in the Final Jury in Paris, France in May 2011, and attend the Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE).
Author of the winning video will be invited for a screening at the occasion of the Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE), held in Paris, France, in May 2011.
The jury reserves the right to modify award amounts based on the number of winning essays / videos selected.
Notes:
- open to youth 18 to 25 years old worldwide. - previous winners and finalists are not eligible to win this contest. - Submissions can be made in English, French or Spanish. - View the summary of rules and guidelines here... - To know how to submit your essay or video, check out this link here... - Deadline of this competition is on March 17, 2011.
For more information about this contest, check out the 2011 World Bank International Essay Competition website, or visit the 2011 World Bank International Essay Competition Facebook page.
So, you think you can write, or you believe you are a good writer, but nobody knows you. On the other hand, you simply want to expose yourself through your writing skills.
Well, here’s your chance.
At Jacetcards.com, we have decided to post random essay topics that are related to telecommunications, business, internet sales marketing and web design every month.
All you have to do is visit our website and navigate to this page to get the latest topic.
Topic for the Month of March 2011: A History Of Telecommunications
You may then write an essay of about 1000 to 1500 words on the topic above and submit to us through the following e-mail address. essayscripts@jacetcards.com.
Once we receive your essays via e-mail, we will send you a notification reply. We will also inform you of when the eventual winners' essay will be published.
You stand a chance of winning ₦1,500.00 ($10 Dollars) if your essay is awarded the highest score.
Before you begin writing, we advise you to read these rules carefully.
ESSAY RULES
1. You are all invited to participate. 2. Essays must be submitted within a week of the topic posted. Essays submitted later than a week will not be accepted. 3. Attach the essay as a Microsoft word document or any other windows compatible word editor, and send to essay scripts@jacetcards.com. 4. The essay must answer the question set. 5. The essay must make precise reference to the relevant text/ body of evidence. 6. The essay deploys an original and coherent argument with a clearly defined premise, in which all constituent parts flow logically from one another, and a sound conclusion is drawn; 7. The argument must be elegantly structured and convincingly expressed in an appropriate register. 8. Originality of thought is rewarded by a higher mark, while any form of plagiarism will bring down the mark and, in severe cases, may disqualify the essay. (See Plagiarism.) 9. You must indicate your full name, Profession, e-mail address, location, nationality and sex. Example Name: Olajide Tobun, Profession: System Administrator, E-mail Address: blabla@whatever.com, Location: Ogun state, Nationality: Nigerian, Sex: Male. 10. We may ask you to send us a photo of yourself for publishing on our website if you win and desire to do so. This however, is not compulsory. 11. The best essay will be published on our website together with the details of the winner. The cash prize will be forwarded to a bank account of the winner’s choice. Participants from outside Nigeria will be sent their prize through money transfer, or whichever means they desire and is convenient for us.
In simple terms, plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of someone else's work The source may be the work of another student, or published books and articles, and it can take various forms: copying, the word-for-word appropriation of entire passages; paraphrase, the summarizing, in other words, of a passage of someone else's work; or the adoption of another's detailed line of argument It is sometimes alleged that the plagiarism was done innocently, without malicious intent, but this will not be admitted as an excuse.
Essays will be thoroughly marked and awarded scores based on rules 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 above, by professionals and experts in this field.
If, for any reason you believe that you abided by our rules, wrote brilliantly and still yet, your essay was not able to win the prize. We implore you to contact us.
$10,000 in total prize money: One grand prize winner in the Middle East and one in the US will receive $2,000. One second place winner in the Middle East and one in the US will receive $1,500. Three runners up in the Middle East and three in the US will receive $500 each. 50 book prizes will be awarded to additional outstanding essays.
HAMSA's annual contest comes from a 1951 Langston Hughes poem: What Happens to a Dream Deferred?. The poem helped propel the civil rights movement in the US. Today, it can inspire your dream deferred for the Middle East, which the UN calls the "world’s least free region." The contest has two parts: one for Middle Eastern youth and one for American youth. Write a brief essay addressing one of the questions below. Winning essays - selected by a panel of celebrity judges - receive $10,000 in prizes.
Please answer one of the questions below
If you live in the Middle East
1. Identify a civil rights abuse in your local community – how does this repression impact you or someone you know?Describe a personal experience with civil rights restrictions (censorship, discrimination, protest, etc.). Consider what can be done – and what is being done - to reform these abuses. Explain whether your children will still face the same restrictions when they are your age.
2. What would you with $1,000 to organize a civil rights event or campaign?You can use this money in any way you want to help secure individual rights in your community. Describe with details the activity, its intended impact, strategic approach, budget, and marketing plan. Structure your essay creatively: perhaps as a grant proposal, a mock police report on the event, or a story imagining how the event comes together to make an impact. Consider that winning the contest will give you the funds to make this vision a reality.
3. What is your “dream deferred”: a vision of your society with civil rights for all?Share your dream of a successful civil rights movement. Explain what is needed for this campaign to overcome obstacles. If you like, write a mock newspaper article from the future reporting on a ground-breaking event, campaign, or new project (e.g., a civil rights TV station, web portal, online training center, etc.). Describe successful collaboration between Mideast activists and grassroots American supporters.
4. You have been given $2,000 to produce a short (1-4 minutes) viral video on civil rights in the Middle East. The challenge is to grab viewers’ attention, link viewers to a specific action to address the abuse, and ultimately get them to forward the video to friends?The video should aim to make an emotional and educational impact that spurs a clear practical action by viewers. It could also be a video answer to one of the essay questions posed above. Include the script for the video as well as the marketing plan to distribute it virally. For bonus points: Actually produce the video and provide a link to it with your essay.
If you live in United States
1. Profile a Middle East civil rights reformer: What about their work inspires you and how can you assist their struggle?Explain the challenge to individual rights this reformer addresses. Describe the nonviolent strategic approach the reformer uses to advance change. And suggest ways that you as an individual in America can help support their struggle – from social media tools to solidarity rallies to fundraising.
2. Imagine that you have decided to help the campaign to free a young Middle Eastern blogger in jail (e.g., Bahrain’s Ali Abdulemam), but some friends argue that Americans should not “impose their values” on foreign cultures. What is your response to arguments of “cultural relativism,” and what direct appeal can you make to convince your friends to help? In addition to moral points, describe your campaign’s practical steps to engage ordinary Americans to help secure the blogger’s release.
3. What can the future look like if Americans - like you - partner with Middle Eastern reformers? Share your vision of a successful collaboration between Middle East and American activists. Describe how an effective joint campaign overcomes key obstacles. If you like, answer the question by writing a mock newspaper article or blog from the future reporting on this new alliance. Consider the impact of social media tools to build bridges and build effective partnerships between activists on opposite sides of the world.
4. You have been given $2,000 to produce a short (1-4 minutes) viral video on civil rights in the Middle East. The challenge is to grab viewers’ attention, link viewers to a specific action to address the abuse, and ultimately get them to forward the video to friends?The video should aim to make an emotional and educational impact that spurs a clear practical action by viewers. It could also be a video answer to one of the essay questions posed above. Include the script for the video as well as the marketing plan to distribute it virally. For bonus points: Actually produce the video and provide a link to it with your essay.
Who can enter the contest?
Entrants must be 25 years old or younger as of the contest deadline: February 20, 2011. Entrants must reside in Arab League member states, Iran, Afghanistan, or the United States. There is no minimum age requirement, and entrants do not need to be students. Prizes are awarded as cash, not scholarships.
Foreign Students: If you are a foreigner currently studying in the US, you can enter the contest. If you are a Middle Easterner studying in the US, answer one of the questions posed to Middle Easterners. If you are a citizen of the Middle East temporarily living outside the region, you can still enter the contest. If you are an American currently living overseas, you can enter the contest. Equal Opportunity: All essays are evaluated without regard for race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation of the author, as well as other classifications protected by applicable international US laws.
How long should entries be?
Essays should be at least 600 words, but no longer than 1,500 words. Footnotes, citations, and essay title do not count towards the word limit.
Can an essay entry remain anonymous?
If do not want your name made public in the event your essay is selected as a winner, check the "anonymous" box when submitting your essay. Several past winners have chosen this option.
When will HAMSA announce the winners?
Winners will be notified (and announced on our web site) by June 2010. Judges evaluate each essay for clarity, creativity, and persuasiveness to determine prize winners.
What are common mistakes to avoid when writing an essay?
Do not focus on US government policy and regional geo-politics (the Iraq War debate, the Arab-Israeli-Iranian conflict, Iran's nuclear program, etc.). Essays based on these topics are disqualified. Judges are looking for essays that explore what ordinary citizens can do on the grassroots level to strengthen individual rights within Middle Eastern societies. These civil rights include, but are not limited to, free expression, women's equality, minority rights, religious freedom, economic liberty, and artistic freedom.
How can a brief essay cover the broad topic of civil rights in the Mideast?
There are several ways to address this challenge. Past prize winners have discussed the larger problem of civil rights abuses across the Middle East with a range of examples. Others have focused on one particular country (Middle Eastern participants are strongly encouraged to address their own society). Others have focused on a particular kind of civil rights abuse (e.g., press censorship). There is no one "right" answer to any of the essay questions.
Do essays have to be original and does HAMSA retain the right to reprint essays?
Yes. Any quotations or outside intellectual material should have citations. All essay submissions become the property of the contest sponsor. At the same time, entrants can republish their essay on their own (e.g., on a blog, for a class paper, etc.) and use ideas for other writing.
Deadline: 27 March (extended from 20 February 2011)
Prizes:
$10,000 in total prize money: One grand prize winner in the Middle East and one in the US will receive $2,000. One second place winner in the Middle East and one in the US will receive $1,500. Three runners up in the Middle East and three in the US will receive $500 each. 50 book prizes will be awarded to additional outstanding essays.
HAMSA's annual contest comes from a 1951 Langston Hughes poem: What Happens to a Dream Deferred?. The poem helped propel the civil rights movement in the US. Today, it can inspire your dream deferred for the Middle East, which the UN calls the "world’s least free region." The contest has two parts: one for Middle Eastern youth and one for American youth. Write a brief essay addressing one of the questions below. Winning essays - selected by a panel of celebrity judges - receive $10,000 in prizes.
Please answer one of the questions below
If you live in the Middle East
1. Identify a civil rights abuse in your local community – how does this repression impact you or someone you know?Describe a personal experience with civil rights restrictions (censorship, discrimination, protest, etc.). Consider what can be done – and what is being done - to reform these abuses. Explain whether your children will still face the same restrictions when they are your age.
2. What would you with $1,000 to organize a civil rights event or campaign?You can use this money in any way you want to help secure individual rights in your community. Describe with details the activity, its intended impact, strategic approach, budget, and marketing plan. Structure your essay creatively: perhaps as a grant proposal, a mock police report on the event, or a story imagining how the event comes together to make an impact. Consider that winning the contest will give you the funds to make this vision a reality.
3. What is your “dream deferred”: a vision of your society with civil rights for all?Share your dream of a successful civil rights movement. Explain what is needed for this campaign to overcome obstacles. If you like, write a mock newspaper article from the future reporting on a ground-breaking event, campaign, or new project (e.g., a civil rights TV station, web portal, online training center, etc.). Describe successful collaboration between Mideast activists and grassroots American supporters.
4. You have been given $2,000 to produce a short (1-4 minutes) viral video on civil rights in the Middle East. The challenge is to grab viewers’ attention, link viewers to a specific action to address the abuse, and ultimately get them to forward the video to friends?The video should aim to make an emotional and educational impact that spurs a clear practical action by viewers. It could also be a video answer to one of the essay questions posed above. Include the script for the video as well as the marketing plan to distribute it virally. For bonus points: Actually produce the video and provide a link to it with your essay.
If you live in United States
1. Profile a Middle East civil rights reformer: What about their work inspires you and how can you assist their struggle?Explain the challenge to individual rights this reformer addresses. Describe the nonviolent strategic approach the reformer uses to advance change. And suggest ways that you as an individual in America can help support their struggle – from social media tools to solidarity rallies to fundraising.
2. Imagine that you have decided to help the campaign to free a young Middle Eastern blogger in jail (e.g., Bahrain’s Ali Abdulemam), but some friends argue that Americans should not “impose their values” on foreign cultures. What is your response to arguments of “cultural relativism,” and what direct appeal can you make to convince your friends to help? In addition to moral points, describe your campaign’s practical steps to engage ordinary Americans to help secure the blogger’s release.
3. What can the future look like if Americans - like you - partner with Middle Eastern reformers? Share your vision of a successful collaboration between Middle East and American activists. Describe how an effective joint campaign overcomes key obstacles. If you like, answer the question by writing a mock newspaper article or blog from the future reporting on this new alliance. Consider the impact of social media tools to build bridges and build effective partnerships between activists on opposite sides of the world.
4. You have been given $2,000 to produce a short (1-4 minutes) viral video on civil rights in the Middle East. The challenge is to grab viewers’ attention, link viewers to a specific action to address the abuse, and ultimately get them to forward the video to friends?The video should aim to make an emotional and educational impact that spurs a clear practical action by viewers. It could also be a video answer to one of the essay questions posed above. Include the script for the video as well as the marketing plan to distribute it virally. For bonus points: Actually produce the video and provide a link to it with your essay.
Who can enter the contest?
Entrants must be 25 years old or younger as of the contest deadline: March 27, 2011. Entrants must reside in Arab League member states, Iran, Afghanistan, or the United States. There is no minimum age requirement, and entrants do not need to be students. Prizes are awarded as cash, not scholarships.
Foreign Students: If you are a foreigner currently studying in the US, you can enter the contest. If you are a Middle Easterner studying in the US, answer one of the questions posed to Middle Easterners. If you are a citizen of the Middle East temporarily living outside the region, you can still enter the contest. If you are an American currently living overseas, you can enter the contest. Equal Opportunity: All essays are evaluated without regard for race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation of the author, as well as other classifications protected by applicable international US laws.
How long should entries be?
Essays should be at least 600 words, but no longer than 1,500 words. Footnotes, citations, and essay title do not count towards the word limit.
Can an essay entry remain anonymous?
If do not want your name made public in the event your essay is selected as a winner, check the "anonymous" box when submitting your essay. Several past winners have chosen this option.
When will HAMSA announce the winners?
Winners will be notified (and announced on our web site) by June 2010. Judges evaluate each essay for clarity, creativity, and persuasiveness to determine prize winners.
What are common mistakes to avoid when writing an essay?
Do not focus on US government policy and regional geo-politics (the Iraq War debate, the Arab-Israeli-Iranian conflict, Iran's nuclear program, etc.). Essays based on these topics are disqualified. Judges are looking for essays that explore what ordinary citizens can do on the grassroots level to strengthen individual rights within Middle Eastern societies. These civil rights include, but are not limited to, free expression, women's equality, minority rights, religious freedom, economic liberty, and artistic freedom.
How can a brief essay cover the broad topic of civil rights in the Mideast?
There are several ways to address this challenge. Past prize winners have discussed the larger problem of civil rights abuses across the Middle East with a range of examples. Others have focused on one particular country (Middle Eastern participants are strongly encouraged to address their own society). Others have focused on a particular kind of civil rights abuse (e.g., press censorship). There is no one "right" answer to any of the essay questions.
Do essays have to be original and does HAMSA retain the right to reprint essays?
Yes. Any quotations or outside intellectual material should have citations. All essay submissions become the property of the contest sponsor. At the same time, entrants can republish their essay on their own (e.g., on a blog, for a class paper, etc.) and use ideas for other writing.
Participate in the 2011 Black Marriage Day Essay Contest and you could win $50.00. Tell us what you think a great marriage looks like. Share your ideas, your thoughts, your interpretation, and your beliefs about love, marriage and family in at least 250 words. Be a voice for your generation. What couples do you admire? What do you think a great relationship looks like? What makes a family work?
Your ideas can be part of the Indiana Black Marriage Day Celebration on March 20th, 2011.
Winners Announced : March 15, 2011
Contact person: Melody Boone, 317-927-9558
Each student must complete the entry form (or a photocopy) and submit it with two (2) copies of an original essay (250 words or more.) The winning essay will focus on a topic selected from the choices provided. The student shares his or her opinion, experience or personal feelings. Essays will be judged in three categories 6-8 graders, 9-10 graders, and 11-12 graders. Essay may be submitted by mail, fax or email. All email and faxed correspondence will receive an acknowledgement. If you do not receive a confirmation, please call 317-927-9558 to verify receipt.
Complete Entry Form
Review the topics
Write an essay 250 words or more
Submit your entry
Confirm receipt of entry
Think Win—Win!!!
Indiana Healthy Marriage And Family Coalition 3737 N. Meridian Street. Suite 206 Indianapolis, IN 46208 Attn: Essay Contest
ESSAY TOPICS
Your essay should cover one or more of the topics listed below;
Why is a two-parent home important to our youth? Describe how/why having both parents present in the home affect and influence the children in the home.
What you think a great marriage looks like? Describe how you think marriage is intended to be. What African– American married couples do you admire? Identify an African– American couple that you think are good examples of what a marital relationship should look like and tell why you chose them. What makes a family healthy (or work)? Describe your thoughts of what a family consists of, how a healthy family looks and functions and what makes you feel they are functional.
What a well-functioning blended family looks like? As two or more families/family members are joined in one household, what needs to be done to make it a smooth transition. Describes how a well functioning blended family looks.
Entries will be joined primarily on content however grammar will be a factor considered by judges as well.
CATEGORIES
6-8 graders Male and female
9-10 graders Male and female
11-12 graders. Male and female
1MALE / 1FEMALE WINNER will be selected from each category. Prizes will be distributed at the Black Marriage Day Celebration, March 20, 2011 at 4pm
REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRIES
All entries must be written by a student who fits into one of the categories listed. The entries must be developed and written by the contestant. Entries with less than 250 words will not be considered for prize. All entries must be received by the deadline indicated and an entry form must accompany each submission. Each contestant must acquire confirmation of receipt of their submission.. It is the responsibility of the contestant to ensure correct contact information is given.
Deadlines
All entries must be received no later than March 5, 2011. They may be submitted via mail to 3737 N. Meridian St, Ste. 206, Indianapolis, IN 46208 Attn: Essay Contest, by email ihmi@sbcglobal.net include on subject line: Essay Contest- Entry ID*, or you may fax your entry to 317-927-9557. You should receive confirmation from IHMFC that your essay has been received. If you do not receive the confirmation, you should contact IHMFC to verify that your essay was received. It is the responsibility of the contestant to secure the confirmation no later than the dead-line for entry, March 5, 2011. *(Entry ID is explained on entry form)
For the past few decades, the Islamic banking and finance industry has grown significantly in the global market. We believe that R & D in Islamic Finance are vital to be further developed. Hence, we at KLIFF 2011 are extremely proud to organize this essay competition to encourage in-depth research competitively. We are pleased to invite and encourage everyone to participate in this essay competition by writing to us a well-grounded essay on Islamic banking and finance topics. The winning essays receive awards totaling to USD6, 000.00. We will begin accepting essays starting from 25 April 2011.
ELIGIBILITY
• This contest is open to all (Malaysian or others from all countries of the world)
ENTRY FORMAT
• An English essay of 5,000 to 10,000 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography. • Submissions can be sent via our online submission form (strongly encouraged!), via e-mail to mazlita@cert.com.my. Each entry must be accompanied by a submission form and short CV. • Essays must be in the .doc format, 1 ½ spaced and 12-point Times New Roman font. • Quotes and references must be clearly marked throughout the essay and properly attributed.
PROCEDURES
• Each contestant may submit more than one entry, but each winning contestant will be entitled to only one prize. The prize will be awarded to a winning contestant for his/her highest-scoring entry. • All submissions must be original. A contestant must confirm that his/her entri(es) has /have not been published or entered in other competition . • A winning entry will not be allowed to enter into any other competitions.
COPYRIGHT
• CERT reserves the right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to adapt, edit, modify, reproduce and use the entry (ies) for any promotional or educational purposes without the prior consent from the contestant or providing any payment whatsoever to the contestant . • CERT reserves the right to present no awards, or to reduce the number of awards if an insufficient number of deserving entries is received.
JUDGING CRITERIA
• Presentation skills, including the language, coherency and readability. • Completeness of the essay, including background information, products (s), relevant to the essay development. • Usefulness of the essay to others. • Any form of plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification. • Judges’ decision is final and is not subject to an appeal.
TOPICS
Topics for the essay competition should be focused mainly on the following themes :
1. Islamic Banking & Finance 2. Islamic Economics 3. Islamic Equity & Investments Products 4. Governance in Islamic Finance 5. Shariah Methodology & Fatwa in Islamic Finance 6. Risk in Islamic Finance 7. Takaful & Retakaful 8. Legal and Regulatory Issues in Islamic Finance 9. Accounting in Islamic Finance 10. Shariah Audit in Islamic Finance 11. Legal & Shariah Compliance 12. Islamic Capital Market 13. Islamic Treasury Products 14. Islamic Structured Product & Islamic Derivatives
BIG REWARDS AWAIT THE WINNERS OF THIS YEAR’S ESSAY COMPETITION!
Prizes of the winners
1st Prize: USD2,000 Cash, USD250 CERT Book Vouchers 2nd Prize: USD1,500 Cash, USD150 CERT Book Vouchers 3rd Prize: USD1,000 Cash, USD100 CERT Book Vouchers 3 Consolation Prize: USD300 Cash
• The winner will be given the complementary seat to attend 2-day 8th Kuala Lumpur Islamic Finance Forum (KLIFF 2011).
• Submit your essay with a cover page including your name, address, phone number, organization, email address, essay title.
All entries must be submitted together with duly completed entry forms and sent by mail or e-mail to:
Send all correspondence to: Centre for Research and Training (CERT), 277, Jalan Bandar 11, Metro Melawati, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Any queries please call: +603 4108 1439
Fax the Form below to: +603 4106 1549
Send your details by email: mazlita@cert.com.my
We will send you a confirmation note on receiving your registration form.
Nine Grand Prize winners will be invited to attend the Hope for the Future Festival in Nairobi, Kenya in December. Each Grand Prize winner will also receive a Samsung Notebook.
2nd Prize
Samsung Mobile Phones will be awarded to 18 first runners-up in the Hope for the Future Essay Contest.
3rd Prize
Samsung Digital Cameras will be awarded to 27 second runners-up in the Hope for the Future Essay Contest.
Contest Instructions
Applicants may submit contest entries via video or a written submission.
Instructions for Submitting a Written Essay
1.Click on “Enter Contest” in this application. 2. Fill in the entry form. 3. Click “Continue” to submit your essay. 4. Write your essay title in the title box. 5. Write your essay in the essay box. Minimum 150 words – Maximum 700 words. 5. Click on “Upload”.
Instructions for Submitting a Video
To submit a video, you will also be required to fill in your details in the entry form under the “Essay Contest” tab and then email your video to Samsung Real Dreams as an attachment.
1. Go to the Essay Contest application. 2. Click on “Enter Contest” in this application. 3. Fill in the entry form. 4. Click “Continue” to submit your essay. 5. Write your title in the field provided. 6. Type in a summary of your video in the “Essay” entry box. 7. Click on “Upload”. 8. Email your video (maximum two minutes) to srdafrica@gmail.com.
Please note the timelines and prizes are subject to change.
Contest Starts: October 13, 2010 @ 09:00 am (EET) Contest Ends: November 07, 2010 @ 09:00 am (EET)
Need more Details?
Read the Official Rules
About the Company
The Samsung Real Dreams program is a partnership led by Samsung and the International Youth Foundation (IYF) to increase economic activity in Africa by promoting job skills and preparing youth for successful, long-term careers. The program ran throughout 2009, empowering over 4,500 young people in the African region with the right opportunities, tools and training needed to realize their dreams.
Essay Questions
• How has the Samsung Real Dreams program helped you realize your dream? • How did the program help you in overcoming challenges? How did the skills you developed through the program help you achieve your goals? • How have you benefitted from the program?
Judges will be looking for contributions that show your real life story, your aspirations that have been realized and what your future outlook on life has become as a result of the Samsung Real Dreams program. Tell us your story with passion and convince us why you are most eligible to win this contest.
“Governance, Democracy and Corruption: The role of the Anti-Corruption Commission in addressing these concepts in Sierra Leone"
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was established in the year 2000 by the Government of Sierra Leone to address key questions of (state) corruption that marred Sierra Leone for decades. Most Sierra Leoneans regard the ACC as having the most important tasks of protecting and promoting integrity, accountability and transparency within government institutions. The Commission seeks to achieve its objectives by investigating and punishing acts of corruption within public institutions in Sierra Leone.
A decade since its establishment, the ACC has been led by at least three different Commissioners. However, recent events within the organization have given cause for Sierra Leoneans to question whether the ACC is capable of achieving its objectives. In early May 2010, Sierra Leone witnessed the sudden and unexpected resignations of Abdul Tejan-Cole as head of the Sierra Leone’s ACC and that of his lead prosecutor, Calvin Mantsebo, a Zimbabwean national. These resignations sent shockwaves across the country and beyond. One of Sierra Leone’s major international partners, the United States of America, expresses regret at the event and notes that the fight against corruption in Sierra Leone is a fight for Sierra Leone’s very economic, political and democratic stability.
It is worth remembering that this event comes less than a decade following the end of a terrible civil war in Sierra Leone in 2002 - a war that many observers have noted was caused by rampant corruption. So, as the ACC now has a new leader awaiting parliamentary approval, it is understandable that Sierra Leoneans are uneasy, posing questions about the viability and trustworthiness of an institution that carries with it the hope of an end to some of the causes that led to that bloody civil war.
It is against this backdrop that the Auradicals Foundation considers it appropriate to launch this essay competition on Sierra Leone’s ACC. The key aims of this essay competition are to gauge public opinion on the Commission, and provide Sierra Leoneans with the opportunity to express their views on the evolution and role of the ACC in Sierra Leone’s development. A winning essay should consider the following: what have been the factors limiting the operations of the ACC? to what extent can the ACC influence good governance and responsible government in Sierra Leone? Should central government play any role in the operations of the ACC? if yes, how can and should government interact with the ACC to ensure it properly performs its functions adequately? Should the ACC be an integral part of the Sierra Leone judiciary? How can the fight against corruption in Sierra Leone foster national growth and development? To what extent can the ACC play a leading role in this process? These are some of the core questions to address in a winning essay.
Submission guidelines / marking criteria / prizes
This competition is open to two categories of participants: pupils at senior secondary schools and students at colleges, vocational institutes and universities in Sierra Leone.
For pupils, the word limit for this essay is between 1700 and 2000 words and for students, the word limit is between 2700 and 3000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography or reference list; anything less than and more than these limits will be disqualified.
Every essay must be well referenced with footnotes and bibliography, using the Harvard Referencing Style – visit http://auradicals.com/ for details on this referencing style. Essays which use any academic materials or other resources must provide full citation of those resources. Essays which simply rely on information from the ACC website may not be winning essays.
The deadline for the submission of this essay (i.e. must be received by us) is no later than 10pm Sierra Leone time on 1 November 2010 at submissionessaycompetition@auradicals.com. The essay must be word-processed and submitted via email only.
Participants are required to provide their full name, date of birth, home address, name of educational institution and student identification or registration number. These details do not form part of the word limit.
We will award prize money and plaques to the essays we assess as 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category. We will announce the winners on Friday, 8th October 2010 and present them with prizes in a venue (to be announced) in Freetown on Friday, 15th October 2010. The prizes for secondary schools will be 1st prize: Le500,000 + plaque; 2nd prize: Le300,000 + plaque; and 3rd prize: Le150,000 + plaque and for tertiary institutions, 1st prize: Le1,000,000 + plaque; 2nd prize: Le500,000 + plaque; and 3rd prize: Le300,000 + plaque.
About the competition organizers
This competition is organised by the Auradicals Foundation. The Auradicals Foundation is made up of members of the Auradicals Club of Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone, who have now graduated from FBC and are currently residing, studying, working or living in Sierra Leone, USA, Canada, Australia and the UK/Europe.
By submitting your essay to Us (i.e. the Auradicals Foundation and any of Our successor organisation) for this competition You (i.e. the participant) agree to grant Us a perpetual, exclusive, free of charge permission, right and licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, play, and exercise all copyright and publicity rights with respect to Your essay in any way We (i.e. the Auradicals Foundation) want in Sierra Leone and worldwide in any media now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist. By submitting Your essay to Us, You also warrant that such essay is Your own original work, it has not been previously published elsewhere and that You have the right to make it available to Us for all the purposes specified above, is not defamatory, does not infringe any laws in Sierra Leone or elsewhere, and that You have the consent of Your parent / guardian to grant Us the above rights and warranties if You are under 16.
The total maximum cash amount available for the contest will be $1300.00 ($1000.00 for winning essays, and $300.00 for honourable mentions).
2011 Simerg Essay Writing Contest – $1000.00 in Cash Prizes
The aim of this contest is to encourage everyone to discover the joy and power of writing creative, intelligent, and persuasive essays
FEBRUARY 11, 2011: IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Simerg.com is pleased to make an important announcement regarding the two short essay contests which were launched recently on this page, following the publication of the widely acclaimed photo essay entitled “The Aga Khan Museum, the Ismaili Centre and their Park.”
The contest will now be known as the “Mahdiya Essay Writing Contest,” and the awards will include US$1,000 in cash prizes for the 4 winners of the two essays. The name Mahdiya has been chosen in recognition of the first capital city of the Fatimids which was founded in North Africa by Imam al-Mahdi, the 11th Ismaili Imam and first Fatimid Caliph.
The prizes, distributed in the form of money order/draft, are in addition to the original prizes of the first edition of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan” written by the late Aga Khan and “Animal Voyage” by Prince Hussain Aga Khan. The exact prize distribution is specified in the contest summary and rules below.
The writing contest will become an annual feature beginning with this 2011 initiative.
The closing date for the two contests has now been extended to March 31, 2011. The winners will be selected by a team of judges from around the world by mid-May, 2011. The winning essays will be announced and published on this Web site soon thereafter. The winners will also be announced on Ismailimail, the highly popular independent Ismaili blog which has become one of the best and most dependable sources for news related to the worldwide Ismaili Muslim community.
Here is a wonderful opportunity for students, the youth as well as adults to develop and write their thoughts about the iconic projects that are being built on Wynford Drive in Toronto, Canada, by the 49th Ismaili Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan.
Please read the guidelines below, and share your grandest aspirations or imagination about this “Gift to Toronto” and, indeed, our world by His Highness the Aga Khan. Participate in this exciting contest where you can contribute meaningfully, simultaneously being recognized for your creative and thoughtful writing skills and talent.
Finally, in addition to the $1000.00 being offered as cash prizes to the winners, a total of upto six entries deemed as honourable mentions by the judging panel will each receive a gift card or cash in the amount of $US 50.00. Canadian and USA honourable mentions will receive a gift card from Chapters and Barnes & Nobles respectively, and overseas entries will receive the amount in the form of a money order.
SUMMARY
1. The first will be a short essay of 300 – 500 words on the topic, “Why I am Excited about The Aga Khan Museum, The Ismaili Centre and Their Park.”
2. The second will be a short description where, in no more than 125 words, the participant will describe “Why I like this photo” for any one photo the participant chooses from the photo essay (see the link below).
3. There will be two age categories for each competition – a youth category (ages 18-24) and an open category (25 years and over).
4. The winner of the youth category for the essay competition, “Why I am Excited…” will receive a cash prize of $400.00 as well as an out of print copy of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan” (UK, 1954, 1st edition). A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
5. The winner of the open category for the essay competition “Why I am Excited…” will receive a cash prize of $300.00 as well as an out of print copy of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan” (UK, 1954, 1st edition). A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
6. The winner of the youth category for “Why I Like this Photo” will receive a cash prize of $175.00 as well Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s enchanting photo book “Animal Voyage.” A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
7. The winner of the open category for “Why I Like this Photo” will receive a cash prize of $125.00 as well as Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s enchanting photo book “Animal Voyage.” A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
RULES
1. The competition is free to enter.
2. Youth (18 to 24) and adults (25 and over) are invited to participate.
3. We encourage the participation of youth and adults from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographical locations.
4. The essay “Why I am excited about the Aga Khan Museum, the Ismaili Centre and their Park,” should be between 300 and 500 words.
5. The Photo description contest, “Why I Like this Photo,” is limited to 125 words. A participant may only select one photo of his/her choice from the entire photo essay, and describe why he/she likes it. The photo slide show may be viewed by clicking any one of the following links:
PHOTO ESSAY: PDF presentation (Recommended)
PHOTO ESSAY: Powerpoint Presentation
PHOTO ESSAY: Regular Web Pages
6. All submissions must be in the English language.
7. Entries should be emailed to simergessay@aol.com or simerg@aol.com in one of the following formats: WordPerfect, Word, PDF, RTF or as an email.
8. Entries should include the following information:
a. A short biographical note (to introduce the applicant – limit it to 75 words). Participant’s age, birth date, school, and (OPTIONAL) a small photo are also required.
b. Participant’s full contact details (email address, telephone number(s), complete postal address, town, country).
9. The e-mail subject should read “Entry for Essay Contest.”
10. Entries should be submitted by March 31, 2011.
11. Winners will be declared on this Web site sometime during the latter half of May 2011.
12. The decisions made by the panel of judges (see list below) will be final.
13. The participants will ensure that their essays do not infringe on anyone’s copyright material when developing the essays.
14. All participants in this contest implicitly accept the rules presented in this document.
AIMS OF THE CONTEST
1. To use Albert Einstein’s quote, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world,” one of the primary aims of the essay will be to encourage everyone to discover the joy and power of writing creative, intelligent, and persuasive essays.
2. To promote a culture of writing and reading among youth and the public.
3. To make the viewers at large more engaged in these projects, by both reading the essays and commenting on them.
4. To enhance and enlighten the readers’ views of what other people are thinking about these three projects.
WINNERS
1. The winners will be announced sometime at the end of May, 2011, on this Web site, www.simerg.com.
2. The winning essays will be published on www.simerg.com.
3. Winner of the best essay, “Why I am Excited…” for each of the two age groups (i.e. 18 – 24 and 25 and over) will receive a cash prize as mentioned above, a good used copy of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan”, and a DVD of the Aga Khan Museum.
4. Winner of the photo description, “Why I Like this Photo” for teach of the two age groups (i.e. 18 – 24 and 25 and over) will receive a cash prize as mentioned above, a brand new copy of the photo book “Animal Voyage” by Hussain Aga Khan (2008), and a DVD of the Aga Khan Museum.
Note: To read more about the two books mentioned above, please click Collections.
5. Also, upto six entries deemed as honourable mentions by the judging panel will each receive a gift card or cash in the amount of $US50.00. Canadian and USA honourable mentions will receive a gift card from Chapters and Barnes & Nobles respectively, and overseas entries will receive the amount in the form of a money order.
6. Thus the total maximum cash amount available for the contest will be $1300.00 ($1000.00 for winning essays, and $300.00 for honourable mentions).
The judge’s selection for the essays will be based on the following:
1. Originality and personal vision.
2. Relevance of the essay to the three projects.
3. Quality of language (engaging writing style, good spelling and grammar etc.)
4. Demonstration of a thorough understanding of the three projects.
RESOURCES FOR THE ESSAYS
Aga Khan Museum articles at AKDN The Aga Khan’s speech at the Foundation Ceremony Museum collection article at theIsmaili.org Article in Nomeancity.net The Ismaili Centres special coverage Urban Toronto article
THE CONTEST Students from the 6th, 7th and 8th grades (Middle School Level), and 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades (High School Level) who attend public or private school within the United States of America, can enter this essay contest by writing an essay that starts from and explains the significance of what their selected quotation (listed below) communicates / means to them..
Select ONE of the following seven quotations below to start and write your essay:
1) "Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise." ~ Maya Angelou
2) "Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can." ~ Arthur Ashe
3) "Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind." ~ Quincy Jones
4) "Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power." ~ Barbara Jordan
5) "Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
6) "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." ~ Booker T. Washington
7) "Have a vision. Be demanding." ~ Colin Powell
GUIDELINES
1. All writers must be students in 6th,7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
2. All entries become the property of InspiraGen Institute, LLC and entries will not be returned.
3. One entry per student.
4. Each entry must be between 1000-2500 words (2-5 pages), typed or print handwritten (preferably typed), double-spaced and submitted on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper. No cursive writing will be accepted.
5. Essay must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification.
6. Essay must be solely based on the ONE selected quotation, not a combination of two or more.
7. Attached to each entry must be a completed contest entry form including the student’s name, student’s grade, teacher, guidance counselor, school name, school’s address, student’s address and a parent/guardian name, email address and telephone number.
8. Qualifying entries must reflect the contest theme.
9. A completed parental waiver form must accompany each essay. The Parental Waiver Form and Contest Entry Form can be obtained by clicking on the red pdf file link below.
• Download Student Essay Rules, Contest Entry Form and Parental Waiver (.pdf)
10. ALL essay entries will be judged based on the following criteria:
• Theme Identified • Strong Introduction and Connection to Selected Quotation • A Little History on the Author of the Selected Quotation • Personal Life Experience(s) Tied-In • Evidence for Persuasion • Clarity • Accuracy of Their Observations and Support Resources • Strong Conclusion • Creativity of Assignment • Flow of Writing • Grammar Usage • Free of any Grammatical, Spelling, or Punctuation Errors
11. Decisions of the judges are final.
*** While editorial suggestions from teachers, parents and other supportive adults are encouraged, the essay must reflect the student's own thoughts and work. All essays become the property of the contest committee and will not be returned.
THEME
The Entrants Selected Quotation from the List Above
JUDGING
A panel of professionals will choose the winners.
Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of the selected quotation.
Essay submissions are evaluated in a fair and unbiased multi-round judging process. To ensure the anonymity of our participants, cover sheets and identifying information are removed after the first round. Winners’ names remain unknown to judges until after the essays have been ranked and the contest results finalized. InspiraGen Institute, LLC checks essays with iThenticate Plagiarism Detection Software.
PRIZES
Each school level (Middle School and High School) will be awarded the following prizes:
One (1) Grand Prize Winner receiving $200
One (1) 2nd Place Winners receiving $100
Three (3) 3rd Place Winners receiving $50
*** Monetary Prizes will be Paid By: Friday, March 18, 2011
THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER'S BONUS PRIZE
The Grand Prize Winners School’s on both the middle school and high school level will receive a donated (complimentary, non-fee) Ty Howard Motivational Full-School Assembly Program delivered to their students. Each school will have from April 16, 2011 to November 16, 2011 to bring Mr. Ty Howard in to deliver his trademarked and award-winning "You Were Born to Be G.R.R.R.R.E.A.T.!!!!TM" presentation.
If the Grand Prize Contest Winner's school is located outside of a 100 mile driving radius, the Grand Prize Contest Winner's School will be required to pre- arrange and pay Mr. Ty Howard's travel and hotel stay expenses only.
CONTEST WINNERS
ALL Contest Winners will be recognized through their school’s guidance counselor or teacher point of contact on Thursday, February 17, 2011.
CONTEST SCHEDULE
All entries must be mailed and postmarked by Thursday, January 20, 2011.
Mail ALL Essay Entries to: Ty Howard & InspiraGen Institute, LLC Attn: Ty's Black History Essay Contest 6400 Baltimore National Pike, Suite 134 Baltimore, Maryland 21228
*** While editorial suggestions from teachers, parents and other supportive adults are encouraged, the essay must reflect the student's own thoughts and work. All essays become the property of the contest committee and will not be returned.
• All dates are subject to change at the discretion of Ty Howard and InspiraGen Institute, LLC
Contact InspiraGen Institute, LLC’s Office at (410) 737-6839 with any questions.
The contest will be known as the “Mahdiya Essay Writing Contest,” and the awards will include US$1,000 in cash prizes for the 4 winners of two short essays. The name Mahdiya has been chosen in recognition of the first capital city of the Fatimids which was founded in North Africa by Imam al-Mahdi, the 11th Ismaili Imam and first Fatimid Caliph.
The prizes, distributed in the form of money order/draft, are in addition to the original prizes of the first edition of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan”, the autobiography of Aga Khan III and “Animal Voyage” by Prince Hussain Aga Khan. The exact prize distribution is specified in the contest summary and rules below.
The writing contest will become an annual feature beginning with this 2011 initiative.
The closing date for the two contests has now been extended to April 30, 2011. No further extensions will be made. The winners will be selected by a team of judges from around the world by mid-May, 2011. The winning essays will be announced and published on this Web site soon thereafter. The winners will also be announced on Ismailimail, the highly popular independent Ismaili blog which has become the best and most dependable reference source for news related to the worldwide Ismaili Muslim community.
This contest provides a wonderful opportunity for students, the youth as well as adults to develop and write their thoughts about the iconic projects that are being built on Wynford Drive in Toronto, Canada, by the 49th Ismaili Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan. Please read the guidelines below, and share your grandest aspirations or imagination about this “Gift to Toronto” and, indeed, our world by His Highness the Aga Khan. Participate in this exciting contest where you can contribute meaningfully, simultaneously being recognized for your creative and thoughtful writing skills and talent.
Finally, in addition to the $1000.00 being offered as cash prizes to the winners, a total of upto six entries deemed as honourable mentions by the judging panel will each receive a gift card or cash in the amount of $US 50.00. Canadian and USA honourable mentions will receive a gift card from Chapters and Barnes & Nobles respectively, and overseas entries will receive the amount in the form of a money order.
We look forward to reading your entries and being part of your thoughtful world to ignite and open our eyes on multiple levels about the historic creation of “The Aga Khan Museum, the Ismaili Centre and Their Park.” To assist you in this endeavour, we have provided links to numerous articles and speeches.
SUMMARY
1. The first will be a short essay of 300 – 500 words on the topic, “Why I am Excited about The Aga Khan Museum, The Ismaili Centre and Their Park.”
2. The second will be a short description where, in no more than 125 words, the participant will describe “Why I like this photo” for any one photo the participant chooses from the photo essay (see the link below).
3. There will be two age categories for each essay – a youth category (ages 18-24) and an open category (25 years and over).
4. The winner of the youth category for the essay competition, “Why I am Excited…” will receive a cash prize of $400.00 as well as an out of print copy of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan” (UK, 1954, 1st edition). A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
5. The winner of the open category for the essay competition “Why I am Excited…” will receive a cash prize of $300.00 as well as an out of print copy of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan” (UK, 1954, 1st edition). A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
6. The winner of the youth category for “Why I Like this Photo” will receive a cash prize of $175.00 as well Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s enchanting photo book “Animal Voyage.” A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
7. The winner of the open category for “Why I Like this Photo” will receive a cash prize of $125.00 as well as Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s enchanting photo book “Animal Voyage.” A DVD of the Aga Khan Museum will also be included.
RULES
1. The competition is free to enter.
2. Youth (18 to 24) and adults (25 and over) are invited to participate.
3. We encourage the participation of youth and adults from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographical locations.
4. The essay “Why I am excited about the Aga Khan Museum, the Ismaili Centre and their Park,” should be between 300 and 500 words.
5. The photo essay, “Why I Like this Photo,” is limited to 125 words. A participant may only select one photo of his/her choice from the entire photo essay, and describe why he/she likes it. The photo slide show may be viewed by clicking any one of the following links:
PHOTO ESSAY: PDF presentation (Recommended)
PHOTO ESSAY: Powerpoint Presentation
PHOTO ESSAY: Regular Web Pages
6. All submissions must be in the English language.
7. Entries should be emailed to simergessay@aol.com or simerg@aol.com in one of the following formats: WordPerfect, Word, PDF, RTF or as an email.
8. Entries should include the following information:
a. A short biographical note (to introduce the applicant – limit it to 75 words). Participant’s age, birth date, school, and (OPTIONAL) a small photo are also required.
b. Participant’s full contact details (email address, telephone number(s), complete postal address, town, country). This information must be provided in the body of the email
9. The e-mail subject should read “Entry for Essay Contest.”
10. Entries should be submitted by April 30, 2011.
11. Winners will be declared on this Web site sometime during the latter half of May 2011.
12. The decisions made by the panel of judges (see list below) will be final.
13. The participants will ensure that their essays do not infringe on anyone’s copyright material when developing the essays.
14. All participants in this contest implicitly accept the rules presented in this document.
AIMS OF THE CONTEST
1. To use Albert Einstein’s quote, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world,” one of the primary aims of the essay will be to encourage everyone to discover the joy and power of writing creative, intelligent, and persuasive essays.
2. To promote a culture of writing and reading among youth and the public.
3. To make the viewers at large more engaged in these projects, by both reading the essays and commenting on them.
4. To enhance and enlighten the readers’ views of what other people are thinking about these three projects.
WINNERS
1. The winners will be announced sometime at the end of May, 2011, on this Web site, www.simerg.com.
2. The winning essays will be published on www.simerg.com.
3. Winner of the best essay, “Why I am Excited…” for each of the two age groups (i.e. 18 – 24 and 25 and over) will receive a cash prize as mentioned above, a good used copy of “The Memoirs of Aga Khan”, and a DVD of the Aga Khan Museum.
4. Winner of the photo description, “Why I Like this Photo” for teach of the two age groups (i.e. 18 – 24 and 25 and over) will receive a cash prize as mentioned above, a brand new copy of the photo book “Animal Voyage” by Hussain Aga Khan (2008), and a DVD of the Aga Khan Museum.
Note: To read more about the two books shown above, please click here.
5. Also, upto six entries deemed as honourable mentions by the judging panel will each receive a gift card or cash in the amount of $US50.00 plus a DVD of the Aga Khan Museum. Canadian and USA honourable mentions will receive a gift card from Chapters and Barnes & Nobles respectively, and overseas entries will receive the amount in the form of a money order.
6. Thus the total maximum cash amount available for the contest will be $1300.00 ($1000.00 for winning essays, and $300.00 for honourable mentions).
SELECTION CRITERIA
The judge’s selection for the essays will be based on the following:
1. Originality and personal vision.
2. Relevance of the essay to the three projects.
3. Quality of language (engaging writing style, good spelling and grammar etc.)
4. Demonstration of a thorough understanding of the three projects.
AN INTERNATIONAL PANEL OF JUDGES
The following individuals have kindly agreed to judge the competition:
1. Mr. Bruni Freschi, O.C. (Order of Canada), Vancouver, Canada – Architect, Ismaili Jamatkhana and Centre, Burnaby 2. Dr. Aziz Kurwa, London, UK – Medical Professional 3. Professor Arif Babul, Vancouver, Canada – Astrophysicist 4. Mr. Zulfikar Khoja, Ottawa, Canada – Educator 5. Dr. Navyn Naran, New York, USA- Medical Professional 6. Mr. Jim Bowie, Toronto, Canada – Hobbyst Photographer and Realtor 7. Mr. Iqbal Motani, Ottawa, Canada – Accountant/Auditor 8. Ms. Shellyza Moledina, London, UK – Pharmacy Student, Writer and Singer
DISCLAIMERS AND EXCLUSIONS
Simerg reserves the right to not award the prizes if the number and quality of the entries do not meet the jury’s expectation. This decision will be made by the judges.
Simerg looks forward to a good participation, and interesting responses.
SELECTED RESOURCES
Aga Khan Museum articles at AKDN
The Aga Khan’s speech at the Foundation Ceremony
Aga Khan Museum collection - article at theIsmaili.org
Article in Nomeancity.net
Ismaili Centres – A special coverage at theIsmaili.org
Urban Toronto article
The above list is by no means complete. Numerous other articles are posted on the internet.
Contact Information:
For inquiries: simergessay@aol.com or simerg@aol.com
For submissions: simergessay@aol.com or simerg@aol.com
Youth in Action: Paving the Way for Democracy Raise Your Voice, Share Your Ideas, and Get Involved in Democracy!
Submit your essay on democracy, and win an opportunity to attend one of the largest global gatherings of democracy leaders! The World Youth Movement for Democracy (www.wymdonline.org), a youth network of the World Movement for Democracy (www.wmd.org), 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.
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. Please make sure to clearly designate, in the body of your email, your 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
To submit essays via fax, please fax: +1.202.378.9889. Provide your details on the cover sheet.
Timeline August 12, 2010 Launch of the Essay Contest October 18, 2010 Deadline for the essay submission December 10, 2010 Announcement of 15 Semi-finalists January 2011 Semi-finalist essays posted on WYMD Website February 2011 Announcement of 2 Global Winners July 2011 Global winners attend Community of Democracy Ministerial Meeting
Review Process The submitted essays will be reviewed by regional committees each of which will determine three regional semi-finalists. The semi-finalists will be announced on Human Rights Day (December 10). If needed the each of the regional committees will also translate 3 semi-finalist essays into English to post on the World Youth Movement for Democracy Website. Essays will be evaluated based on: Composition; Clarity; Creativity; and Practicality.
Prizes The Two Global winners will be announced and provided with a sponsorship to cover travel and other expenses related to their participation in the Community of Democracies Ministerial Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July 2011. (www.community-democracies.org)
The 15 Semi-Finalists (3 from each region) will be announced and their essays will be posted on the World Youth Movement for Democracy Web site.
For further information on the Global Youth Essay Contest, please visit: www.wymdonline.org.
If you have any specific questions, please contact Cecilia Andersen at: ceciliah@ned.org.
Get Involved With Issues that Affect Your Community Essay Contest
Cultivating Aspiring Leaders presents the fourth “Get Involved With Issues that Affect Your Community” essay competition. The essay contest winner will receive a $1000 scholarship! First through fifth place winners will each receive a FREE dedicated college admissions essay editor!
Contestants must meet the following requirements to compete in the essay competition (below):
1) African-American or Latino student 2) High school senior 3) 3.0 minimum GPA 4) Total household income $50,000 or less
Essay Question
Does social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc) pose a risk to or create opportunities for teenagers’ futures?
Essays should be no longer than 750 words. All contestants must submit the following here (please scan/PDF item 1 below) by December 1, 2010, 5PM EST:
1) High school transcript 2) Digital photo 3) Essay (Microsoft Word format) 4) Optional: 2 minute video presenting your essay (Please upload the video onto YouTube.com and include a link to your video.)
Proof of household income may be required of semi-finalists.
Emir Abd el-Kader, a 19th century world-renowned Arab hero, was admired by Abraham Lincoln, Queen Victoria, Pope Pius IX, Sir Richard Burton and countless Muslims for his moral courage, generosity, learning and selfrestraint.
Abd el-Kader was a philosopher and seeker of wisdom, man of peace, warrior, statesman, puritan, humanitarian, poet, scholar and was tolerant of all faiths. Upon his death in 1883, The New York Times hailed him as ”one of the few great men of the century.” In 1846, the founders of an Iowa community chose to honor him by naming their town Elkader.
Essay Objectives. Based on the inspiring life of Emir Abd el-Kader, the essay contest encourages learning about our global society and building bridges of respect, tolerance and cross-cultural understanding between the east and west. Students are asked to evaluate the significance of Abd el-Kader’s courageous life of struggle during peace, war, imprisonment, and exile as applied to current events in America and the world. The core resource for contest participants is Commander of the Faithful, a biography of Abd el-Kader, written in an accessible and dramatic manner, engaging the reader on many levels: historical, cultural, ethical and philosophical.
Essay Eligibility.
Iowa high school juniors and seniors. Each participant must designate a teacher/mentor at their school as their essay “coach” to guide them.
Iowa Scholarships:
1st Place student receives $2,000 plus Teacher/Mentor receives $500 2nd Place student receives $1,000 3rd Place student receives $ 500
*Elkader’s 1st place student receives $500 (if not in top 3 above) plus an educational Washington DC trip.
The student’s teacher/mentor also wins the DC trip. Airfare and two nights lodging are compliments of the Algerian Embassy. Elkader essay participants are also eligible for the overall Iowa scholarships listed above.
Essay Requirements.
1) Submit form (below) to receive more information about the contest before November 30, 2010. 2) Read Commander of the Faithful: The Life and Times of Emir Abd el-Kader 1808-1883 by John W. Kiser For more information about the book and author, go to www.truejihad.com. 3) Write a 1500 - 2000 word essay addressing both of the following questions: a) What stands out in Abd el-Kader’s life that is relevant to you in living your own life? b) Why does his story and legacy deserve remembering today? 4) Final Essays (with artifacts/supporting documents, if desired) must be received by March 30, 2011.
Spring 2011 Workshop Seminar. Teacher/mentors coaching essay students will be invited to a free two-day seminar. Dates and venues to be determined. The seminars will be conducted by Barbara Petzen, Education Director of the Middle East Policy Council (MEPC) in Washington DC. She has taught non-partisan workshops on how to teach about the Middle East and Islam to educators in 45 states and over 200 cities across the U.S.
Theme: “Right to the City: Bridging the Urban Divide”
Introduction
The world urban population has grown at very high rates over the past two decades. According to the UN-HABITAT State of the World Cities Report 2008/2009, it is estimated that by the middle of the 21st century, half of the world’s population will be living in urban areas.
While the urban population in developed countries will remain unchanged in the next two decades, the urban populations in the developing world will more than double. The majority of city inhabitants in the developing world are overwhelmingly young people, and are the most affected by issues of poverty, exclusion, and unemployment, access to housing, water and sanitation.
The theme for this year’s UN-HABITAT World Urban Forum which is being held in Rio de Janeiro from 22 to 26 March, “The right to the City– bridging the urban divide” seeks to engage practitioners and policy makers to rethink the urban utopia and identifying the best practices and actions in every city, creating a better world where everyone can live with dignity, respect and citizenship.
Young people living in urban areas can play a significant role in addressing the challenges facing decision and policy makers planning for and managing cities. Young people from around the world participating in the World Urban Youth Assembly on 19 and 20 March will have an opportunity to deliberate and make recommendations to better inform the urban agenda.
UN-HABITAT invites youth from around the globe to participate in the World Urban Youth Assembly International Essay Competition to generate ideas and solutions to address youth challenges in cities.
Essay Theme: “Right to the City: Bridging the Urban Divide”
Write an essay about the youth challenges in cities today, using your city as an example, to address the following questions:
1. Identify and briefly present the challenges young people face in cities and provide solutions. 2. From a youth perspective, identify the underlying issues that prevent the full inclusion of youth in shaping the urban development agenda. 3. In your view, what can young people, working with their peers, community, local authorities and municipalities do to increase youth participation in urban planning and managing cities?
We encourage you to give personal experiences and practical solutions.
Essay Guidelines:
1. The International Essay Competition is open to all young people, students and non-students alike, between the ages of 18 and 32, from all countries of the world. 2. Essays should be typewritten and be no more than 1,000 words. 3. Essays must have a cover page indicating, essay title; name of author, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address(s), nationality, sex and age as of March 19, 2010. 4. All essays must be submitted by e-mail in PDF or MS Word format, with the cover page and essay sent together as one document in English to the essay competition mail: victoria.chebet@unhabitat.org and partners@unhabitat.org 5. Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays will be disqualified. 6. Essays must be original and unpublished
Deadline:
Entries must be received by 28 February 2010 at victoria.chebet@unhabitat.org and partners@unhabitat.org
Awards: The following awards will be given respectively:
1st Prize: Roundtrip economy ticket to attend the World Urban Youth Forum (19 and 20 March) and World Urban Forum (22 to 26 March) in Brazil and one Netbook
The purpose of this competition is to get young scholars involved in the discussions on African governance. As future leaders, young scholars are encouraged to think about the challenges of “representation,” as well as ways and means of generating financial resources for governance for when they would have been entrusted with the responsibility to lead the nation.
The MAAT Group is concerned primarily with the issue of governance, fashioned after the core set of values that are deeply rooted in African culture and history, but somehow not evident in the dominant discourse(s) on governance.
AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE 50TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, DR. CECIL BLAKE IS SPONSORING THROUGH the MAAT GROUP FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN GOVERNANCE (MAGSAG).
The launching of an essay writing competition for final year secondary school students and final year university students.
On the topics
“Representation and Governance in Africa: An African based option or borrowed options?” (For final year university students)
“How I would generate financial resources to govern Sierra Leone as president of the republic of Sierra Leone.” (For final year secondary school students).
1ST PRICE: Le.500, 000.00; 2ND PRICE: Le. 300,000.00; 3RD PRICE: Le. 200,000.00
The purpose of this competition is to get young scholars involved in the discussions on African governance. As future leaders, young scholars are encouraged to think about the challenges of “representation,” as well as ways and means of generating financial resources for governance for when they would have been entrusted with the responsibility to lead the nation.
The MAAT Group is concerned primarily with the issue of governance, fashioned after the core set of values that are deeply rooted in African culture and history, but somehow not evident in the dominant discourse(s) on governance.
Guidelines: competitors will write a one thousands word essay (secondary school students); two thousand words essay (final year university students); double spaced, 12 point fonts, Times Roman on the given topics above respectively.
A cover page with name, name of institution, age, contact telephone number, institution id number and course of study (for university students) is required. Secondary school students should also have a cover page with the same information.
The essays should have:
(A) A clear thesis statement–after a brief introduction/ background. (B) Clear set of sub-topics that will be developed in the body of the essay (C) Clear transitions to ensure coherence as the writer moves from one sub-topic to the other. (D) Clearly developed arguments in support of the writer’s choice of representation (university students), or methods to generate financial resources to govern (secondary school students), supported by evidence in the form of examples etc. (E) Presentation of advantages and disadvantages of the writer’s choice or methods respectively. (F) Conclusion
Correct syntax and style are expected.
A blind review, assessment and determination of the winners will be carried out by a review committee. Each essay will be given a number. The names of the essay writers will not be seen by the review committee.
Closing date: submit all essays no later than April 15, 2011, to the following address:
Department of Political Science, ATTN: MAAT ESSAY COMPETITION 5th Floor Kennedy Building Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone Mount Aureol, Freetown
2011 TOPIC: The Rights of Children and International Human Rights Law
About the Award
The Human Rights Essay Award is an annual competition sponsored by the Academy and seeks to stimulate the production of scholarly work in international human rights law. Participants have the flexibility to choose any subject related to the assigned topic. The essay has to be a legal article.
The Honor Jury deciding the Award will be comprised of professionals with a recognized expertise in international human rights law. The best articles may be published in the American University International Law Review.
The Academy will grant two Awards, one for the best article in English and one for the best article in Spanish. The Award in each case will consist of:
* a scholarship to the Program of Advanced Studies in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law* * travel expenses to Washington D.C. * housing at the university dorms * a per diem for living expenses
Eligibility and Requirements: Complete list of rules
* Candidates must hold a law degree and have demonstrated experience or interest in international human rights law. * Submit only one unpublished legal article/paper written in English or Spanish, solely by the participant. * Articles must not exceed 35 pages in length, including footnotes**, and must be double spaced using 12-point Times New Roman font, in letter size paper (8.5 x11) with 1 inch margins all around. Any essay which does not follow the guidelines will be reformatted and 5 points will be taken off. If the essay is longer than 35 pages, it will be automatically disqualified. * The essay has to be a legal article therefore it will include foot pages and citations. The absence of those will cause that the essay will be disqualified. * Articles can only be submitted via email to hracademy@wcl.american.edu in Microsoft Word format. * The deadline to submit articles is February 1, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. E.S.T. * Winners will be announced on April 1, 2011 through our Web site.
This was posted on allafrica.com and thestandard.co.zw last January 31, 2011:
The Classic Association of South Africa (Casa Africa) has for the third consecutive time organised an essay competition on African issues aimed at encouraging and disseminating a multi-faceted and dynamic view on the African continent.
The essays will be based on two topics: Culture as a Factor of Development in Africa and Environmental Sustainability and Development in Africa. Participants will be required to choose one topic.
Participants who choose the subject "Factor of Development in Africa" can reflect on the need to incorporate culture as a strategic element in national and international development and corporation as well as cohesion in the roles of cultural diversity, integration of minority communities, the process of gender equality and the problems of marginalised urban and rural communities.
In reference to the topic on environmental sustainability and development, this has been an important issue on the agendas of development co-operation and one of the objectives of Plan Africa 2009-2012.
The prize money for the competition will be 4 000 Euros (US$5 445) for each selected essay. The Jury will make a unanimous decision upon evaluating the quality and relevance of the papers and their contribution towards improving knowledge of each of these subject matters.
Work must be typed and submitted electronically and the winning entry as well as the runner-up will receive a cash prize.
The press release though has not indicated specific guidelines as to where to send essay entries and the deadline for submissions. The Casa Africa website can be accessed here. Their 2010 essay competition has apparently closed just recently (December 7, 2010 - see announcement here). This newly announced €4,000 essay competition may be different though and we are waiting for the guidelines to be posted on the Casa Africa site.
At any rate, the essay competition contact (as indicated on Casa Africa's website) is: Dr. Sjarlene Thom, Department of Ancient Studies, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. Telephone: +27 (021) 808-3480 +27 (021) 808-3480 ; fax: +27 (021) 808-3480 +27 (021) 808-3480 ; e-mail: st@sun.ac.za
The Southern African Amateur Radio Satellite Association in co-operation with the South African Amateur Radio Development Trust has launched an essay competition to celebrate the 2010 International Space Week.
The theme for World Space Week 2010, which runs from 4 - 10 October, is "Mysteries of the Cosmos". Throughout history, humans have looked to the heavens and wondered about the universe and our place within it. Today, we are learning much about our universe but, with each answer comes more questions. Not only do the questions deal with the nature of the galaxies and stars, but the nature of life itself. World Space Week is a time to probe what we know, what it means, and what we have yet to learn about the mysteries of the cosmos. It is an International Celebration of Science and Technology.
The essay competition is open to all learners under the age of 18. The subject for the Essay is "If you were an astronaut on the international space station, what experiment would you like to carry out and why?".
Entries must be between 600 and 1 000 words. The first prize is an Acer Aspire 1 Netbook with several consolation prizes. Entries close on 15 December 2010.
How to enter
Write an essay about "If you were an astronaut on the international space station, what experiment would you like to carry out and why?"
The essay must be the original work of the learner and be between 600 and 1000 words.
Rules:
1. Learners must be under 18 years of age and attending school or home schooling
2. Entrants must be resident in the Republic of South Africa
3. Entries of less than 600 words and more than 1000 words will be disqualified
4. Only one entry per person
5. Entries must be submitted in word format by email to saamsat@intekom.co.za with Spaceweek 2010 in the subject line
6. Entries may be in a South African language of choice with English. the preferred language
7. The closing date for entries is 15 December 2010
8. The decisions of the judges is final
9. Entries must include the following in the Email:
* First name and surname * Age * Name of School * School address details, email and telephone number * In the case of a school group entry, name of the coordinating Teacher or parent and contact details. * Entries of school group participants must be grouped together and sent in one email
The McGraw-Hill Companies, recognized as the #1 employer on the HBCU Connect Top 50 Employer list for 2 consecutive years, along with HBCU Connect, is proud to announce the 2nd annual Black History Month Essay Contest!
The Essay Contest is open to all undergraduate and graduate students who attend a Historically Black College or University. Students must be able to show proof of enrollment status.
The top three (3) winners will receive an Amazon Kindle and a copy of the e-Book: "Influence: The Power to Change Anything". The 10 runners up will receive a hard copy of the same book.
All participants who submit an essay are also encouraged to submit a resume if they are interested in an internship at The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Instructions:
In 500 words or less, explain how being educated at a Historically Black College or University will help you be a future influencer.
* Essay submission deadline: February 28, 2011 * Essay word limit: 500 maximum * Participants are encouraged to submit their resume along with the Essay * Contact scholarships@hbcuconnect.com if you have any questions * Winners will be announced by March 31st
Internships at McGraw-Hill
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