international relations essay competition 2021

HIR Academic Writing Contest

The Harvard International Review is a quarterly magazine offering insight on international affairs from the perspectives of scholars, leaders, and policymakers. Since our founding in 1979, we've set out to bridge the worlds of academia and policy through outstanding writing and editorial selection.

The quality of our content is unparalleled. Each issue of the Harvard International Review includes exclusive interviews and editorials by leading international figures along with expert staff analysis of critical international issues. We have featured commentary by 43 Presidents and Prime Ministers, 4 Secretaries-General, 4 Nobel Economics Prize laureates, and 7 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

The Contest

Inspired by our growing high school readership around the world, we have run the Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest since 2020 to encourage and highlight outstanding high school writing on topics related to international affairs.

Contest Format

Participants in the contest submit a short-form article on a topic in international affairs. Each submission will be read and scored by the Harvard International Review .

A number of contestants will be selected as finalists, who are invited to participate in a virtual HIR Defense Day. At the Defense Day, students will have the opportunity to give a 15-minute presentation and oral defense to Harvard International Review judges.

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must adhere to the following requirements, as outlined in the Submission Guide below.

For the upcoming Spring 2024 contest, participants will have a choice of two different themes and must note which prompt they have chosen at the top of their submissions.

Theme A: Inequalities in a VUCA World

Theme B: Global Challenges and Collective Actions

Contestants may choose either topic above when writing the article.

Content: Articles should address a topic related to international affairs today. Potential categories include (but are not limited to): Agriculture, Business, Cybersecurity, Defense, Education, Employment & Immigration, Energy & Environment, Finance & Economy, Public Health, Science & Technology, Space, Trade, and Transportation. Articles should examine the theme from a global perspective rather than focusing on the United States.

Length: Articles should be at least 800 words but not exceed 1,200 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, or authorship declaration).

Writing Style: Submissions should present an analytically backed perspective on an under-appreciated global topic.  

AI Policy : The usage of ChatGPT is prohibited. Judges will be running all articles through multiple AI checkers, and articles that receive high AI generation scores across multiple checkers will be disqualified.

Excellent contest submissions will aim to present a topic holistically from a balanced perspective. Evidence and nuance are critical. Submissions should be well-researched, well-informed, and formal in style and prose.

The HIR does not accept op-eds , otherwise known as editorials or opinion pieces for its competition. Articles are expected to have a thesis but should not have an agenda. Submissions should also not be merely a collection of facts.

As a journalist organization, we ask that submissions follow AP Style's newest edition . We also ask that submissions are culturally sensitive, fact-checked, and respectful.

Examples of pieces that would be considered excellent submissions are below.

Citation and Sources : All factual claims must be backed by a citation from a reliable source. All ideas that are not your own must be properly attributed. Citations should be made via hyperlinks. Non-digital sources are welcome but must be cited properly as per AP Style . See the examples above for examples of using hyperlinks for citations.

Click Here: Submission Guide

Contest dates.

There are three distinct submission cycles for the 2024 Contest.

Please note that contestants are requested to register and pay before becoming eligible to submit their articles prior to the submission deadline.  

Admissions are done on a rolling basis! Capacity is limited.

Spring 2024

Article Submission Deadline: May 31, 2024

HIR Defense Day: June 29, 2024

Summer 2024

Article Submission Deadline: August 31, 2024

HIR Defense Day: October 5, 2024

Fall 2024 / Winter 2024

Article Submission Deadline: January 2, 2025

HIR Defense Day: February 5, 2025

Contest Prizes

All submissions will receive a score from the Harvard International Review based on the Evaluation Rubric described in the Submission Guide. Contestants that receive a passing score without qualifying for a HIR Defense Day will receive individual prizes. Finalists will be eligible for the following Gold/Silver/Bronze medals based on their scores and performance in the HIR Defense Day.

Commendation Prize: HIR Certificate

Outstanding Writing Content / Style Prize : HIR Certificate

High Commendation Prize : HIR Certificate

Bronze Medal : HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top 20 percent)

Silver Medal: HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top 10 percent)

Gold Medal: HIR Certificate and name listed on website (global top three percent)

All scoring and prize decisions are final. The contest will not be able to provide additional detail beyond the scores provided by HIR graders. All contestants who manage to submit their articles will receive a certificate of completion.

Contest Eligibility:

United States

Students are eligible if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas.

International

Students in countries outside of the United States (grades 9-12) are also welcome to submit. Submissions are expected to be written in English and with traditional American spelling. For more information on submissions in your country, please contact [email protected]

Register Here

United States Institute of Peace

National high school essay contest.

USIP partners with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest. The contest each year engages high school students in learning and writing about issues of peace and conflict, encouraging appreciation for diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peacebuilding and protect national security. 

The winner of the contest receives a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to meet U.S. Department of State and USIP leadership, and a full-tuition paid voyage with Semester at Sea upon the student’s enrollment at an accredited university. The runner-up receives a $1,250 cash prize and a full scholarship to participate in the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference. 

2023 National High School Essay Contest

The American Foreign Service Association’s national high school essay contest completed its twenty-third year with over 400 submissions from 44 states. Three randomized rounds of judging produced this year’s winner, Justin Ahn, a junior from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. In his essay, “Mending Bridges: U.S.-Vietnam Reconciliation from 1995 to Today,” Ahn focuses on the successful reconciliation efforts by the Foreign Service in transforming U.S.-Vietnam relations from post-war tension to close economic and strategic partnership.

Ahn will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with a member of the Department of State’s leadership and receive a full tuition scholarship to an educational voyage with Semester at Sea.

Niccolo Duina was this year’s runner-up. He is currently a junior at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas. Duina will be attending the international diplomacy program of the National Student Leadership Conference this summer.

There were eight honorable mentions:

• Santiago Castro-Luna – Chevy Chase, Maryland
• Dante Chittenden – Grimes, Iowa 
• Merle Hezel – Denver, Colorado
• Adarsh Khullar – Villa Hills, Kentucky
• Nicholas Nall – Little Rock, Arkansas
• Ashwin Telang – West Windsor, New Jersey
• Himani Yarlagadda – Northville, Michigan 
• Sophia Zhang – San Jose, California

Congratulations! We thank all students and teachers who took the time to research and become globally engaged citizens who care about diplomacy, development and peacebuilding.

2023 National High School Essay Contest Topic

In 2024, the U.S. Foreign Service will celebrate its 100th birthday. The Foreign Service is an important element of the American approach to peacebuilding around the world. Over the last century, U.S. diplomats have been involved in some of the most significant events in history — making decisions on war and peace, responding to natural disasters and pandemics, facilitating major treaties, and more.

As AFSA looks back on their century-long history, we invite you to do the same. This year, students are asked to explore a topic that touches upon this important history and sheds light on how vital it is for America to have a robust professional corps focused on diplomacy, development and peace in the national interest.

In your essay, you will select a country or region in which the U.S. Foreign Service has been involved in at any point since 1924 and describe — in 1,500 words or less — how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals, including promoting peace, in this country/region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years.

Contest deadline: April 3, 2023

Download the study guide for the 2023 National High School Essay Contest. This study guide provides students with a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist them in answering the question. It includes the essay question, prizes and rules for the contest; an introduction to diplomacy and peacebuilding; key terms; topics and areas students might explore; and a list of other useful resources.

Learn more about the contest rules and how to submit your essay on the American Foreign Service Association’s contest webpage .

2022 National High School Essay Contest

Katherine Lam, a freshman from University High School in Tucson, Arizona, is the 2022 National High School Essay Contest winner. In her essay, “Competition and Coaction in Ethiopia: U.S. and Chinese Partnerships for International Stabilization,” Lam focuses on how the Foreign Service has partnered with other U.S. government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and — most notably — China to promote peace and development in Ethiopia. Lam will travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with a member of the U.S. Department of State’s leadership and gain full tuition for an educational voyage with Semester at Sea.

Olivia Paulsen was this year’s runner-up. She is a currently a junior receiving a home-schooled education in Concord, Massachusetts. Paulsen will be attending the international diplomacy program of the National Student Leadership Conference this summer.

The 2022 honorable mentions were: Josh Diaz (Little Rock, AR); Grace Hartman (Bethlehem, PA); Elena Higuchi (Irvine, CA); Ovea Kaushik (Oklahoma City, OK); Evan Lindemann (Palm Desert, CA); Percival Liu (Tokyo, Japan); Alexander Richter (San Jose, CA); and Gavin Sun (Woodbury, MN).

USIP congratulates all the winners of the 2022 National High School Essay Contest.

Partnerships for Peace in a Multipolar Era

The current multipolar era poses challenges for U.S. foreign policy but also provides new opportunities for partnership across world powers—including emerging great powers like China and Russia—to build peace in conflict-affected countries. Describe a current situation where American diplomats and peacebuilders are working with other world powers, as well as local and/or regional actors, in a conflict-affected country to champion democracy, promote human rights, and/or resolve violent conflict.    A successful essay will lay out the strategies and tactics U.S. Foreign Service Officers and American peacebuilders are employing to build successful partnerships with other world and regional powers and with local actors in the chosen current situation.  The essay will also describe specific ways that these partnerships are helping to promote stability and build peace.

Contest deadline: April 4, 2022

Download the study guide for the 2022 National High School Essay Contest. This study guide provides students with a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist them in answering the question. It includes the essay question, prizes, and rules for the contest; an introduction to diplomacy and peacebuilding; key terms; topics and areas students might explore; and a list of other useful resources.

Learn more about the contest rules and how to submit your essay on the American Foreign Service Association’s contest webpage.  

2021 National High School Essay Contest

Mariam Parray, a sophomore from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas, is the 2021 National High School Essay Contest winner. In her essay, “Diplomats and Peacebuilders in Tunisia: Paving the Path to Democracy,” Ms. Parray focuses on how the Foreign Service partnered with other U.S. government agencies and NGOs to effect a peaceful democratic transition in Tunisia. She emphasizes the importance of multifaceted approaches as well as the importance of bringing marginalized groups into the fold. Mariam will travel to Washington to meet with a member of the Department of State’s leadership and will also gain a full tuition to an educational voyage with Semester at Sea. Harrison McCarty was this year’s runner-up. Coincidentally, he is also a sophomore from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas. Harrison will be attending the international diplomacy program of the National Student Leadership Conference this summer. The 2021 honorable mentions were: Louisa Eaton (Wellesley, MA); Samuel Goldston (Brooklyn, NY); Lucy King (Bainbridge Island, WA); Haan Jun Lee (Jakarta, Indonesia); Khaled Maalouf (Beirut, Lebanon); Madeleine Shaw (Bloomington, IN); Allison Srp (Austin, MN); and Daniel Zhang (Cortland, NY).

USIP congratulates all the winners of the 2021 National High School Essay Contest. 

Diplomats and Peacebuilders: Powerful Partners

What characteristics lead to a successful effort by diplomats and peacebuilders to mediate or prevent violent conflict? The United States Foreign Service—often referred to as America’s first line of defense—works to prevent conflict from breaking out abroad and threats from coming to our shores. Peacebuilders work on the ground to create the conditions for peace and resolve conflicts where they are most needed. 

Successful essays will identify, in no more than 1,250 words, a situation where diplomats worked on a peacebuilding initiative with partners from the country/region in question, nongovernmental organizations, and other parts of the U.S. government, and then go on to analyze what characteristics and approaches made the enterprise a success.  

Contest deadline: April 5, 2021

Download the study guide for the 2021 National High School Essay Contest. This study guide provides students with a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist them in answering the question. It includes key terms in conflict management and peacebuilding and examples of peacebuilding initiatives, with reflection questions for independent learners to dig more deeply or for teachers to encourage class reflection and discussion. We hope this study guide will be a useful resource for educators and students participating in this contest, and for educators who want their students to learn more about this year’s contest topic.

2020 National High School Essay Contest

Jonas Lorincz, a junior from Marriotts Ridge High School in Marriottsville, MD, is the 2020 National High School Essay Contest winner. In his essay, “Verification, Mediation, and Peacebuilding: The Many Roles of the U.S. Foreign Service in Kosovo,” Mr. Lorincz focused on the importance of interagency cooperation in mediating the crisis in Kosovo – primarily looking into how diplomats and other civilian agencies engaged in peacebuilding throughout the conflict.

Claire Burke was this year’s runner-up. She is a junior at Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, KS. 

The 2020 honorable mentions were: Grace Cifuentes (Concord, CA), Grace Lannigan (Easton, CT), Seryung Park (Tenafly, NJ), Vynateya Purimetla (Troy, MI), David Richman (Norfolk, VA), Madeleine Shaw (Bloomington, IN), Sara Smith (Fargo, ND), and Jack Viscuso (Northport, NY).  USIP congratulates all the winners of the 2020 National High School Essay Contest. 

2020 National High School Essay Contest Topic

Why Diplomacy and Peacebuilding Matter

How do members of the Foreign Service work with other civilian parts of the U.S. Government to promote peace, national security and economic prosperity?

Qualified essays focused on a specific challenge to U.S. peace and prosperity and included one example of the work of the Foreign Service and one or more examples of collaboration between America’s diplomats and other civilian (i.e. non-military) U.S. Government agencies or organizations.

2019 National High School Essay Contest

In its 21st year, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)’s National High School Essay Contest encouraged students to think about how and why the United States engages globally to build peace, and about the role that the Foreign Service plays in advancing U.S. national security and economic prosperity.

For the second year in a row, the National High School Essay Contest focused on an important aspect of operating in countries affected by or vulnerable to violent conflict: effective coordination of the many different foreign policy tools the United States has at its disposal. Whether you were addressing the prompt for a second year or new to the contest, the contest will have challenged you to expand your understanding of the role of the Foreign Service and other actors in foreign policy, identify case studies, and provide a sophisticated analysis in a concise manner.

The essay prompt and a helpful study guide are included below; you can find out more information about the rules and how to submit by checking out AFSA’s essay contest page .

2019 Essay Question

The United States has many tools to advance and defend its foreign policy and national security interests around the world—from diplomatic approaches pursued by members of the Foreign Service, to the range of options available to the U.S. military. In countries affected by or vulnerable to violent conflict, peacebuilding tools are important additions to the national security toolkit.

In such complex environments, cooperation across agencies and approaches is challenging, but it can also blend knowledge and skills in ways that strengthen the overall effort to establish a lasting peace. On the other hand, lack of coordination can lead to duplication of effort, inefficient use of limited resources and unintended consequences.

In a 1,000-1,250-word essay, identify two cases—one you deem successful and one you deem unsuccessful—where the U.S. pursued an integrated approach to build peace in a conflict-affected country. Analyze and compare these two cases, addressing the following questions:

• What relative strengths did members of the Foreign Service and military actors bring to the table? What peacebuilding tools were employed? Ultimately, what worked or did not work in each case?
• How was each situation relevant to U.S. national security interests?
• What lessons may be drawn from these experiences for the pursuit of U.S. foreign policy more broadly?

Download the study guide for the 2019 AFSA National High School Essay Contest

2018 National High School Essay Contest

Jennifer John from Redwood City, CA is the 2018 National High School Essay Contest winner, surpassing close to 1,000 other submissions. Her essay examined to what extent U.S. interagency efforts in Iraq and Bosnia were successful in building peace. Aislinn Niimi from Matthews, NC was the runner up.

The 2018 honorable mentions were: Alex, DiCenso (North Kingstown, RI),Alexandra Soo (Franklin, MI), Caroline Bellamy (Little Rock AR), Colin LeFerve (Indianapolis, IN), Elizabeth Kam (Burlingham, CA), Emma Singh (Tenafly NJ), Emma Chambers (Little Rock AR),  Francesca Ciampa (Brooksville, ME), Greta Bunce (Franktown, VA), Isaac Che (Mount Vernon OH), Isabel Davis (Elk River MN), Katrina Espinoza (Watsonvile, CA), Molly Ehrig (Bethlehem, PA), Payton McGoldrick (Bristow, VA), Rachel Russell (Cabin John, MD), Sarah Chapman (Tucson, AZ), Shalia Lothe (Glen Allen VA), Sohun Modha (San Jose CA), Suhan Kacholia (Chandler, AZ), Supriya Sharma (Brewster, NY), Sydney Adams (Fort Wayne, IN), Tatum Smith (Little Rock AR), and William Milne (Fort Wayne, IN).  

2017 National High School Essay Contest

Nicholas Deparle, winner of the 2017 AFSA National High School Essay Contest, comes from Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC. A rising senior at the time, Mr. Deparle covers the Internally Displaced Persons crisis in Iraq and potential ideas to help resolve the issue.  Read his winning essay here . Mr. Manuel Feigl, a graduate of Brashier Middle College Charter High School in Simpsonville, SC took second place.

This year there were twenty honorable mentions: Mohammed Abuelem ( Little Rock, Ark.), Lucas Aguayo-Garber (Worcester, Mass.), Rahul Ajmera (East Williston, N.Y.), Taylor Gregory (Lolo, Mont.), Rachel Hildebrand (Sunnyvale, Calif.), Ryan Hulbert (Midland Park, N.J.), India Kirssin (Mason, Ohio), Vaibhav Mangipudy (Plainsboro, N.J.), William Marsh (Pittsburgh, Penn.), Zahra Nasser (Chicago, Ill.), Elizabeth Nemec (Milford, N.J.), David Oks (Ardsley, N.Y.), Max Pumilia (Greenwood Village, Colo.), Nikhil Ramaswamy (Plano, Texas), Aditya Sivakumar (Beaverton, Ore.), Donovan Stuard (Bethlehem, Penn.), Rachel Tanczos (Danielsville, Penn.), Isabel Ting (San Ramon, Calif.), Kimberley Tran (Clayton, Mo.), and Chenwei Wang (Walnut, Calif.).

2017 Essay Contest Topic

According to the United Nations, 65 million people worldwide have left their homes to seek safety elsewhere due to violence, conflict, persecution, or human rights violations. The majority of these people are refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Imagine you are a member of the U.S. Foreign Service —– a diplomat working to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the United States abroad – and are now assigned to the U.S. embassy in one of these four countries.

• Turkey (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs)
• Kenya (Bureau of African Affairs)
• Afghanistan (Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs)
• Iraq (Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs)

Your task is to provide recommendations to address the refugee/IDP crisis facing the country in which you are now posted. Using the resources available to you as a member of the Foreign Service, write a memo to your Ambassador outlining how the United States might help address the current unprecedented levels of displacement. You may choose to address issues related to the causes of refugee crisis, or to focus on the humanitarian crisis in your host country.

A qualifying memo will be 1,000-1,250 words and will answer the following questions:

• How does the crisis challenge U.S. interests in the country you are posted and more broadly?
• Specifically outline the steps you propose the U.S. should take to tackle the roots or the consequences of the crisis, and explain how it would help solve the issue or issues you are examining. How will your efforts help build peace or enhance stability?
• How do you propose, from your embassy/post of assignment, to foster U.S. government interagency cooperation and cooperation with the host-country government to address these issues?  Among U.S. government agencies, consider U.S. Agency for International Development, the Foreign Commercial Service and the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Memo Template

TO: Ambassador ______________________

FROM: Only use your first name here

RE: Think of this as your title, make sure to include the country you are writing about

Here you want to lay out the problem, define criteria by which you will be deciding the best steps the U.S. could take, and include a short sentence or two on your final recommendation. Embassy leadership is very busy and reads many memos a day —– they should be able to get the general ““gist”” of your ideas by reading this section.

Background:

This section should provide any background information about the crisis or conflict relevant to your proposed policy. Here, you should mention why the issue is important to U.S. interests, especially peace and security.

Proposed Steps:

This is where you outline your proposed policy. Be specific in describing how the U.S. might address this issue and how these steps can contribute to peace and security. Include which organizations you propose partnering with and why.

Recommendation:

This is where you write your final recommendations for embassy leadership. Think of this as a closing paragraph.

Companion Guide for the 2017 National High School Essay Contest

It is no easy task to jump into the role of a diplomat, especially when confronted by such an urgent crisis. USIP, in consultation with AFSA, developed a guide to provide a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist you in answering the question, while still challenging you to develop your own unique response. As such, this guide should be used as a starting point to your own research and as you ultimately prepare a compelling memo outlining recommendations the U.S. government should follow to respond to the refugee and IDP crisis.

In the guide you will find: insights into the role of the Foreign Service; country, organization, and key-term briefs to provide a foundational understanding; and a list of other useful resources. Download the Companion Guide for the 2017 National High School Essay Contest (.pdf).

2016 National High School Essay Contest

USIP first partnered with AFSA for the 2016 contest and was pleased to welcome winner Dylan Borne to Washington in August. His paper describes his role as an economic officer in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance. He writes about promoting education for girls in Afghanistan through on-line courses and dispersal of laptops. Read his winning essay (.pdf).

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The r.a. butler prize.

The 2023 R.A. Butler Prize winners at the celebratory event in Cambridge, September 2023, flanked by two current POLIS students, Bao and Zalma. (Photo: Edward Murambwa)

The R.A. Butler Prize for essays on Politics and International Studies

The R.A. Butler Prize competition is open to students in Year 12 or the Lower 6th.

The Prize is jointly organised by Trinity College Cambridge and Cambridge University’s Department of Politics and International Studies.

It was established in memory of the former Master of Trinity College, Lord Butler, who most famously served as Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer, and who was responsible for the introduction of free secondary education for all students in the UK.

The objectives of the R.A. Butler Prize are twofold. Firstly, it aims to encourage students with an interest in modern politics and world affairs to think about undertaking university studies in politics, international studies or a related discipline. It is not limited to those already studying these subjects or indeed other social sciences. Secondly, its intention is to recognise the achievements both of high-calibre students and those who teach them.

2024 Questions

Answer one of the following. You are encouraged to use a diverse selection of contemporary, historical or literary examples in making your arguments, and not to restrict yourself to material taken from school courses. Essays should be no longer than 3,000 words, including any footnotes.

• Would a global wealth tax be both possible and desirable?
• Is it possible to justify wars in the name of democracy?
• Should we care about the personal morals of politicians?
• Democratic states, authoritarian regimes, or private corporations: which of these can most effectively manage the climate transition?
• When do global sporting events become important for international politics?
• Should all artefacts taken by colonial powers from around the world be returned to their countries of origin?
• Should old people be allowed to vote?
• When is abstaining from voting a legitimate political tactic in a democracy?
• Does good government require strong leaders?
• Should we let Artificial Intelligence solve political disagreements?

The deadline for submission was 12 noon (BST) on Thursday 1st August 2024 .

Entries should be submitted via:  https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/essay-prizes/politics/

Useful information

Essays should be 3000 words at most, including all footnotes and references but excluding the bibliography. It’s worth considering the use of examples in your essays: the best essays often use a diverse selection of contemporary, historical or literary examples.

We encourage you to provide references to your sources of information and to include a bibliography at the end of the essay. Please include your name on the document and save the file as “Surname, First name”.

Eligibility

The Prize is for students in Year 12 or Lower 6th at the time the questions are released in March. Students abroad are most welcome to participate. They should, however, be in their penultimate year of school. Each entrant to the competition is allowed to submit only one essay. 

Rules of eligibility are on: https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/essay-prizes/politics/ . 

The competition carries a First Prize of £600, to be split equally between the candidate and his or her school or college (the school or college’s portion of the prize to be issued in the form of book tokens), and a Second Prize of £400, which again is to be shared equally between the candidate and his or her school or college. Winners are announced in September and will be invited to visit the College to meet some of the teaching staff.

Any queries from students who may be interested in submitting work for the prize, or their teachers, should be emailed to  [email protected] .

Previous Prize winners

2023 winners:

First prize: John Paul Cheng, Winchester College, Winchester Second prize: Fela Callahan, Harris Westminster Sixth Form, London

2022 winners:

First prize: Eunju Seo, North London Collegiate School Jeju, Republic of Korea Second prize: Luke Grierson, High Storrs School, Sheffield

2021 winners:

First prize: Saumya Nair, Cheltenham Ladies' College, Gloucestershire Second prize (joint): Liyana Eliza Glenn, home-schooled, UK Second prize (joint):  Amr Hamid, St Paul's School, London

2020 winners:  

First prize: Lydia Allenby, Gosforth Academy, Newcastle upon Tyne Second prize: Louis Danker, City of London School, London

2019 winners:

First Prize: Matthew Gursky, Hall Cross Academy, Doncaster Second Prize: Evie Morgan, Ipswich School, Ipswich

2018 winners: First Prize: Gergely Bérces, Milestone Institute, Budapest, Hungary Second Prize: Tatyana Goodwin, Varndean College, Brighton & Eloise George, Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge

2017 winners: First Prize: Folu Ogunyeye, Aylesbury High School Second Prize: Eve McMullen, Minster School, Southwell

2016 winners:  First Prize: Silas Edwards, St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, Bristol Second Prize: Eliza Harry, Greene's Tutorial College, Oxford

2015 winners:  First Prize: Stephen Horvath, Westminster School, London Second Prize: Grace Elshafei, Sevenoaks School, Kent

2014 winners: First Prize: Oscar Alexander-Jones, St Paul's School, London Second Prize: Sam Maybee, King Edward VI Five Ways School, Birmingham

2013 winners: First prize: Eleanor Shearer, Westminster School, London Second prize (joint): Stephanie Clarke, Lancaster Girls' Grammar School, Lancaster Second prize (joint): Will Barnes, Manchester Grammar School, Manchester

2012 winners: First prize: Kiah Ashford-Stow, King Edward VI School, Southampton Second prize: Jamie Sproul, Stamford School, Stamford, Lincolnshire

2011 winners: First prize: Aman Rizvi, Winchester College, Winchester Second prize: Frans Robyns, Kings College School, Wimbledon

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THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION

Since 1883, we have delivered The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest international schools' writing competition. Today, we work to expand its reach, providing life-changing opportunities for young people around the world.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 is now closed for entries

Find out more about this year’s theme

'Our Common Wealth'.

140 years of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools and has been proudly delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883. 

ABOUT THE COMPETITION 

An opportunity for young Commonwealth citizens to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on key global issues and have their hard work and achievement celebrated internationally.

Frequently Asked Questions for the Competition. Before contacting us please read these.

MEET THE WINNERS 

In 2023 we were delighted to receive a record-breaking 34,924 entries, with winners from India and Malaysia. Read their winning pieces as well as those from previous years.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions for entrants to The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Please ensure you have thoroughly read them before submitting your entry.

Introducing the Winners of the 2021 Student Foreign Policy Essay Contest

The John Quincy Adams Society and The National Interest are pleased to announce the following winners in our 2021 Student Foreign Policy Essay Contest. This year’s contest offered students a choice of three prompts, all of them either being ripped from the headlines or related to relevant U.S. foreign policy issues.

Our first prize winner and runners-up will appear shortly at The National Interest and receive a cash prize, and a subscription to The National Interest ‘s print issue. Our honorable mentions will be published in Realist Review .

First Prize

Samuel Leiter, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Kimo Gandall, University of California, Irvine

Matthew Hughes, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies

Honorable Mentions

Chance Cansler, Middle Tennessee State University

Trevor Filseth, Brandeis University

Fiona Harrigan, University of Arizona

Matthew Mai, Rutgers University

Excerpts from the winners:

Samuel Leiter : “Despite having the world’s third largest economy and territorial disputes with China, Japan continues to “cheap-ride” on U.S. security guarantees. Japan’s failure to invest in its own defense tips the regional balance of power in China’s favor and increases the demands on the U.S. to maintain the regional balance. This makes the likelihood of inadvertent conflict between the U.S. and China greater, strengthens arguments for the U.S. to abandon its ally, and increases the incentives for China to pursue fait accompli strategies against Japan’s outlying islands.”

Kimo Gandall : “Since 2003, the situation has grown helplessly more frustrating, with the Washington Post leaking the 2019 ‘Afghanistan papers’ offering blunt insights of self-delusion American foreign policy calculus. “Every data point was altered to present the best picture possible… everything we were doing was right and we became a self-licking ice cream cone,” explained Bob Crowley, adviser to U.S. military commanders from 2013 – 14. The people of Afghanistan have become similarly dismayed at the inactive American occupation, with the Taliban now governing nearly 70% of the country. In layman’s terms: “The result = Zilch.””

Matthew Hughes : “Effective defense alliances depend on mutual assurances, but the Philippines’ level of commitment has been inconsistent, especially within the last five years. The two countries signed a Visiting Forces Agreement in 1998 and an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in 2014, authorizing U.S. troop access to military bases in the Philippines through rotational deployments. These agreements enabled activities consistent with the MDT that would promote regional security. Since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016, however, the durability of these agreements—and even the MDT—has wavered.”

Chance Cansler : “Turkey has the second-largest NATO military and a vast native arms industry that if both were properly tooled, could be supreme assets for the US and NATO. Turkey is a relatively stable country founded upon the pillars of secularism and republicanism, which if they were again embraced could go a long way in helping those ideas spread into the Muslim world. However, Turkey has squandered this potential, the goodwill of her allies, and soured the relationship of her historic friends. Turkish nationalism, increased authoritarianism, and general belligerence towards its neighbors and allies has made Turkey the least valuable player in US national security.”

Trevor Filseth : “However, over the past fifty years, the United States has discovered just how difficult it can be to successfully extract itself from a war it has started. On at least two recent occasions – Vietnam in 1973, and Iraq in 2011 – America’s foreign conflicts have, after a long and costly insurgency, ended with a face-saving peace agreement, the withdrawal of troops, the establishment of a friendly (but corrupt and unstable) local government, its subsequent collapse, and severe humanitarian consequences.”

Fiona Harrigan : “Despite a suboptimal start, the Biden administration can still embrace and improve upon key campaign promises, leaving behind a better foreign policy than it inherited. First, Biden should encourage and adopt congressional efforts to amend the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, giving Congress its due role in conflict decisions; second, he should reduce the U.S. military footprint in the Middle East, reducing the risks of involvement abroad; and third, he should recalibrate the U.S. treatment of Iran and Saudi Arabia, promoting a balance of goodwill and skepticism toward both nations. With these priorities, Biden could accomplish what so many presidents before him have promised.”

Matthew Mai : “Ironically, the Baltic states are more committed to NATO than their larger and wealthier allies to the west as evidenced by their higher levels of defense spending and troop deployments to the Middle East. However, their commitment to strengthening the integrity of the alliance does not match their ability to defend its most important member. In joining NATO, they correctly calculated that the United States would contribute more to their security than they would in return.”

You can read about the winners of previous contests here:  2020 ,  2019 ,  2018 ,  2017 . You may find the original contest announcement  here .

Millennium: Journal of International Studies

Call for Submissions: The 2023 Northedge Prize

Established in 1986 to commemorate the invaluable contribution of the late Professor F.S. Northedge to the creation of Millennium: Journal of International Studies , the annual Northedge Essay Competition furthers a Millennium tradition of celebrating and promoting exceptional student scholarship.

We are pleased to invite Masters, PhD students, and recent graduates in International Relations or related fields to submit an essay for the competition. The essay may be on any topic within International Relations or related areas of study. We especially welcome the submission of critical papers and invite creative, innovative, boundary-pushing and non-canonical approaches and theoretical arguments on international studies. The essay must be double-spaced, in a recognised reference style, and between 8,000-10,000 words in length (including footnotes, excluding the bibliography).

Shortlisted submissions will be sent for peer review, and the winner will receive a cash prize of £500 and recognition on Millennium ’s social media platforms. Please send your contributions in an anonymised PDF via email marked ‘Northedge 2023 submission’, to [email protected]

Deadline: March 5th, 2023.

Albert Cullell Cano, Eva Leth Sørensen, and Shreya Bhattacharya Editors, Millennium: Journal of International Studies , Vol. 52

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The Second OSCE-IFSH Essay Competition 2021: Conventional Arms Control and Confidence- and Security-Building Measures for Students and Young Professionals

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Nuclear Safety Essay Competition for Students and Early Career Professionals

Are you a student or young professional? Passionate and interested about nuclear safety? The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have the perfect opportunity for you!

Take part in the IAEA’s essay competition for a chance to be a youth panellist at the  International Conference on a Decade of Progress after Fukushima-Daiichi: Building on the Lessons Learned to Further Strengthen Nuclear Safety , to be held at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, from 8-12 November 2021. 

Eligibility and instructions

• Students and young professionals taking part must be between 18 and 30 years old to take part in the competition. (Women and nationals from developing countries are particularly encouraged to apply).
• Submit an essay answering one of the  questions  pertaining to the topics in discussion at the conference, including the future of power generation and nuclear power; how stakeholders can build trust and demonstrate nuclear power is safer than ever; technological advancements relevant to safety; and increasing awareness for youth about opportunities in the nuclear industry.
• Submissions must be in English and submitted in Microsoft Word and PDF format
• Essay must be between 1000 and 2000 words.

Deadline to submit an essay is  Saturday, 31 July 2021 at 11:59 P.M. (CET) .   Submissions must be sent to [email protected].

The essay competition winners will be announced in August 2021 and finalists will be given a special acknowledgment in the conference President’s Report. The IAEA will provide financial support for the winners to travel to and participate in the conference.

United Nations Access to Space for All Initiative: Fellowship Programme for “Drop Tower Experiment Series (DropTES)”

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is pleased to announce the Fellowship Programme “Drop Tower Experiment Series” aimed at contributing to the promotion of space education and research in microgravity around the world, particularly for the enhancement of relevant capacity-building activities in developing countries.

The fellowship is part of the Access to Space for All Initiative under the United Nations Programme on Space Applications and in close cooperation with the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Space Administration.

Important Instructions

The DropTES Fellowship Programme is open to research teams from research institutes, universities, and other public organizations that are located in Member States of the United Nations. Each team should consist of up to four Bachelor, Master and/or PhD students who must be endorsed by their academic supervisor (team leader).

The proposed experiment must be an integral part of the students’ syllabuses, that is, part of a Bachelor thesis, a Master thesis, a PhD thesis, or another form of research project associated with the applicants’ studies at their respective universities. The final approved number of team members will participate in the experiment series on site at the Bremen Drop Tower

Completed application documents of the letter of endorsement from the head of the entity and the  must be submitted to the DropTES Mission Application  must be submitted to UNOOSA by email to the following address: [email protected] .

Deadline for submission is 30 June 2021 23:59 CET. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the application by July 2021. View full details of the fellowship here .

"What if – Spesterra" Youth Video Challenge

The Office for Disarmament Affairs has launched the  “What if – Spesterra” Youth Video Challenge  that calls on young people across the globe to imagine a world without weapons of mass destruction, in which conventional arms are strictly regulated and resources are directed towards tangible social and economic benefits for people and the planet.

Making use of multimedia productions like short films, animations, documentaries, and music videos, young people around the globe are invited to showcase their vision of what the world would look like if we put people at the centre of our disarmament efforts to save lives and make our world a safer place.

Who can Participate?

The challenge is open to young people of all nationalities who are from the ages 18 to 24 years.

The person submitting the video (the entrant) must be actively involved in its making (for example either as a director, writer, camera person, editor, actor, coordinator, etc).

The video could be co-produced with a friend, colleague or partner (the second entrant) who is also between the ages 18 and 24 years.

Some of the video specifications include:

Video length  must be a maximum of 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

Video file size and file type :

• Maximum file size: 100 MB
• File type: AVI, MOV, MP4, OGG or WEBM

Language : Any language may be used for the video. If a language other than English is used, please provide the transcript (in the original language) of the script and onscreen text used in the video (to be used for translation). You may also provide an English translation of the transcript.

Style or form : Videos could be in any style or form (e.g., a short film, animation, documentary or a music video, or any combination).

Multiple entries  (maximum three) are allowed if the content is different from one video to another.

Entries should be uploaded at www.youth4disarmament.org/spesterra-video-challenge before 15 July 2021 .

For more information on the challenge view the link here

2021 Global Media Competition on Labour Migration

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched its  seventh annual Global Media Competition . Its aim is to recognize fair and balanced reports that contribute to the elimination of xenophobia and discrimination against migrant workers and highlight the positive contributions migrants make to society.

This year, judges are particularly interested in coverage of the impact of COVID-19 on labour migration and fair recruitment, including those relating to migrant care workers. Stories about migrant domestic workers will also be viewed favourably, since this year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention.

The competition is open to professional and student journalists and will be judged by a panel of international migration and journalism experts. The winning entries will be selected according to a range of criteria including creativity, accuracy, balance and the positive portrayal of labour migration, with a focus on the protection of migrants.

Three professional prizes and one student prize will be awarded. Winners can choose between a cash prize of USD1,200 in the professional category and USD500 in the student category, or a paid fellowship to participate in an online ITC-Turin fair recruitment or labour migration course in 2022.

How to Enter

• Complete the online entry form as  either  a ‘professional’  or  ‘student’ entrant.
• You can submit your piece in the following formats: written press, photo essay, multimedia, podcast, video and/or radio.
• Students are allowed to submit a published or unpublished media piece. 
• The deadline for submissions is 15 October 2021 at 23:59 (CET). The winners will be announced in December 2021, ahead of International Migrants Day.

UCL Open: Environment Calls for Papers concerned with theme of Water UCL Open: Environment invites submissions for a special issue focusing on Water and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Special Series will focus on SDGs 6 (clean water and sanitation), 13 (climate action), 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land), but submissions on other SDGs are also welcome if they address topics regarding water.

Published by UCL Press, UCL Open: Environment is a new open access (OA) journal where high-impact multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research is published that showcases radical and critical thinking on real world problems, with the aim of benefitting humanity.

Instructions Papers should be strongly inter- or multi-disciplinary either in terms of the author’s skill sets or subject. Discussion and research papers are equally welcome.

Submissions should cover an examination of progress on SDGs viewed from the perspective of the global water cycle, whether the indicators, targets and evidence available to us all, and deliver a more balanced view of water and how it might be best managed in future, are also welcomed for submission. Articles will be judged on the merit and scientific validity (sound scholarship) of the work and the journal is inviting submissions from any grade of researcher, at all career stages, including early career researchers, professionals, and senior scholars. For more information or to enquire about submission: http://bit.ly/3scKYJ0

Deadline for submissions: 30th November 2021

Contact the Editors at [email protected]

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International Essay Contest for Young People

DEADLINE PASSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTRIES!

• The selection process is now underway. All prize winners will be announced on October 31, 2024 (Japan time) on this website. Certificates and gifts will be mailed to the winners in January 2025.
• 1st to 3rd prize winners will be invited to the Winners Gathering to be held online.

Click here to GET your Certificate online Download is available until December 31, 2024

This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. It also aims to inspire society to learn from the young minds and to think about how each of us can make a difference in the world.

* This program is an activity within the framework of UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development: Towards achieving the SDGs ( ESD for 2030 ).

The Essay Contest online registration page is currently experiencing high traffic ("Error establishing database connection", "Not Found", etc. ). If you are having difficulty, please try again after a few hours, and you should be able to get through. In case you are unable to access the page before the deadline, we will still accept your essay.

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Home › Essay Competition 2024 › Essay Competition Winners › 2021 Essay Competition Winner – 16-18

2021 Essay Competition Winner – 16-18

Table of Contents

Take a look at one of the winning entries to the Immerse Education Essay Competition from the Business Management category. Congratulations to all participants and in particular to those who won 100% scholarships!

by Kornelia K . Read Kornelias Scholarship Story Here.

What makes a good role model in business?

A role model can mean different things to different people however a widely accepted term is a person who someone admires and whose behaviour they may imitate(1). To be a good role model in business, one should be responsible, ethical, and possess good judgement. These admirable characteristics are a necessity in order to ensure that those under the influence of a person will emulate those qualities, instead of ones that could be viewed as harmful, such as selfishness or unreliability. Moreover, in business, adopting unethical practises and poor judgement can lead to dire consequences. Some repercussions can include legal issues, loss of your company or an inadequate reputation.

Being ethical is one of the most fundamental attributes of a role model, particularly in a business environment. Unethical business practices are anything that falls below minimum standards for business code of conduct (2) and some examples can include defamation, harmful habits,, false product claims and discrimination. The gender pay gap is one controversial case of unethical business practice; in 2020 it was reported that from 2019 to 2020, there was a mean wage gap of 6.5% and a median of 15.9% between men and women (3). Difference in salaries is just one method of discrimination. Fortunately, in a further progressing society, prejudice is being viewed as what it is : unethical. It is crucial for a role model in business to be ethical as aspiring entrepreneurs may believe certain practices to be acceptable which produces a generation of corrupt business people. Another quality of a successful role model is responsibility. To be responsible is to be accountable for one’s behaviour or action (4). Part of human nature is to make mistakes and although this may be inevitable, our actions subsequently are ultimately our decision. Whether we accept responsibility or place blame on other individuals can define our character to those around us. When one acknowledges their errors, it encourages those who associate with them to do the same and also makes adopting solutions uncomplicated. On the other hand, confessing to one faults can make one seem incompetent; however disclosing your short-comings not only assists you in learning from them, but also those who consider you a role model. Having good judgement is an essential aspect of being an influential role model. A person’s reputation can rely heavily on the decisions that affect a business. Kay Whitmore (former CEO of Kodak) unfortunately lacked this attribute when he failed to adapt to an evolving reality. His poor judgement cost him his position when he was eventually fired from his own company in 1993 (5). In contrast, Elon Musk shaped his career through a series of intelligent choices. One of his most prominent companies (Tesla), is believed to be defining a new era with its electric cars (6). They adapted to the world’s concern of climate change and have created one of the most sustainable cars (7) which not only is environmentally friendly but also motivates customers to buy from them. The difference between whether one’s judgement is poor or not, can change your or your company’s reputation. In summary, to be a good role model in business, one should possess qualities of responsibility, morality and be able to make decisions that help your company evolve. Only then can the next generation of entrepreneurs truly thrive.

Bibliography

Cambridge Dictionary, “Role model”. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/role-model (Accessed 2021-05-28)

L. Holton, “The Ugly Truth About Unethical Business Practices [Updated]”, 17-05-20. https://myva360.com/blog/the-ugly-truth-about-unethical-business-practices

(Accessed 2021-06-03)

Gov.uk, “DIT gender pay gap report 2019 to 2020”, 15-12-20.

%20gender%20pay%20gap,hourly%20difference%20is%20%C2%A34.04 (Accessed 2021-06-03)

Lexico, “Responsible”. https://www.lexico.com/definition/Responsible (Accessed 2021-06-03)

business.com Member, “Leading By Bad Example: Famous Leaders You Want to be Nothing Like”, 09-02-16.

https://www.business.com/articles/famous-leaders-you-want-to-be-nothing-like/   (Accessed  2021-06-12)

E . Taylor, N. Shirouzu, J. White, “How Tesla defined a new era for the global auto industry”, 22-07-20.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-tesla-newera-insight-idUSKCN24N0 (Accessed 2021-06-12)

M. Lewis, “EGEB: Tesla (surprise!) is the most eco-friendly car brand – study”, 13-12-19. https://electrek.co/2019/12/13/egeb-tesla-most-eco-friendly-car-brand-european-green-deal/ (Accessed 2021-06-12)

Why Apply To The Immerse Education Essay Competition? 

Are you a highly motivated student aged 13-18? Have you ever wanted to experience studying at Cambridge or Oxford? 

The Immerse Education essay competition allows you the chance to submit an essay for the chance to be awarded a scholarship to the award-winning Cambridge summer school . 

How To Apply To The Immerse Education Essay Competition? 

The Immerse Education annual essay competition is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win a scholarship to a Cambridge or Oxford summer school . 

If you’re aged 13-18 and you’re interested in applying to the Immerse Education essay competition then please visit our essay competition page for more details.

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