2018 Competition Theme: ‘Towards a Common Future’
Building upon the 2017 theme of ‘A Commonwealth for Peace’, this year’s theme ‘Towards a Common Future’ and its topics ask young writers to explore how the Commonwealth can address global challenges and work to create a better future for all citizens through sub-themes of sustainability, safety, prosperity and fairness, in line with the theme of the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.
Click Here to Download the 2018 Flyer
Topics
Senior CategoryBorn between 2nd June 1999 and 31st May 2004 (14-18 years of age)
- The road to a safer future.
- How does education contribute to a fairer future?
- ‘Healthy, Wealthy, Happy, and Free’: is one more important than the others?
- Future generations have rights too, which must be defended. Discuss.
Junior CategoryBorn after 31st May 2004 (under 14 years of age)
- What does a ‘safer future’ mean to you and your community?
- Write a recipe for a common future: what ingredients will you need? What is the best method for making it? What will it look like?
- ‘A Day in the Life’. Imagine you are your country’s Head of Government for the day: how will you build a better future for young people?
- Our Common Earth.
Judges described entries to the competition in 2017 as ‘emotive’ ‘hauntingly assuring’ ’striking’ and as having ‘powerful narratives’, that ‘this letter should be read by everyone’. We expect a similarly high caliber of writing for 2018.
The competition is open to all citizens and residents of the Commonwealth aged 18 and under until 1 June 2018. All entrants receive a Certificate of Participation and one Winner and Runner-up from the Senior and Junior categories will win a trip to London for a week-long series of educational and cultural events. For more information about the competition, please visit Terms and Conditions and Frequently Asked Questions.
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How To Enter
Have you:
- Read the competition’s Terms and Conditions and shown your parents?
- Checked for spelling, grammar, punctuation and plagiarism?
- Consulted our Frequently Asked Questions?
- Made sure you are using a computer? (the online platform currently does not work on a mobile device)
If you answered ‘yes’ to all of the above, then you are ready to enter The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.
Submit your entry online
Important information for teachers: During the registration process, you will need to enter as ‘A teacher, on behalf of pupils’. You will then have the option to add additional pupils (as many as necessary). Please be sure to enter all the mandatory information for each student. You’ll be given an individual reference number for each student which is needed to download the student’s certificate. Please be sure to keep these reference numbers safe so you can download the certificates for your students, or you can pass on appropriate reference numbers to each individual so they can download their own certificates when the results are announced in August 2018.
Submit your entry by post
Offline submissions are very difficult to process and can mean that your entry arrives after the Competition closing date. We will only accept an offline entry where the person submitting has no access to internet and is unable to submit online.
If you are submitting your entry by post, please complete an entry form in block capitals and attach it to the front of your essay. Entries should be sent to your nearest postal hub, details of which are listed below.
Please note that for postal entries, your essay must be received by 1 May 2018 in order to be eligible. We therefore suggest that you send your essay with plenty of time for delivery, as essays received by a postal hub after 1 May will not be considered in the competition.
EuropeThe Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
The Royal Commonwealth Society
Commonwealth House
55-58 Pall Mall
London
SW1Y 5JH
UK
The Royal Commonwealth Society
Commonwealth House
55-58 Pall Mall
London
SW1Y 5JH
UK
AfricaThe Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
British High Commission
Julius Nyerere Links
PO Box 296
Accra
Ghana
British High Commission
Julius Nyerere Links
PO Box 296
Accra
Ghana
Americas and the Caribbean TBC
AsiaThe Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
British Council
Education Department
British Council
30 Napier Road
Singapore 258509
British Council
Education Department
British Council
30 Napier Road
Singapore 258509
Please ensure your envelope is clearly labelled with The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition in bold.
PacificThe Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition
PO Box 10-741
Wellington 6143
New Zealand
PO Box 10-741
Wellington 6143
New Zealand
All individuals and schools are encouraged to enter online if possible.
Entries End on 1st May, 2018.