Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025 (Win fully-funded trip to London) – YOA

Deadline: May 23, 2025

Applications are open for the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025. The theme for this yr’s competitors is Our Commonwealth Journey. Journeys are a elementary side of our lives, serving to us to discover, to be taught, and to develop. Throughout historical past, nations, communities, and people have undertaken their very own journeys, navigating the tides of an ever-altering world.

​Since its founding in 1949, the Commonwealth has undertaken many journeys to evolve into its present type, with 56 member nations, and not too long ago celebrating its seventy fifth anniversary. There are additionally many nice journeys to be had inside the Commonwealth, which spans 5 continents, is answerable for a 3rd of the world’s oceans and has a massively various inhabitants of two.7 billion individuals.

​The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025, due to this fact, asks entrants to think about the relevance of journeys in a Commonwealth context, whether or not geographical, historic or private. What journeys the Commonwealth has taken or could take sooner or later, in addition to to replicate on their very own particular person journeys.

Categories

Senior Category (Word Count: most of 1500 phrases)

• Equal entry to training is enshrined within the Commonwealth Charter as one of many key values and aspirations that unite the Commonwealth. While the Commonwealth has come a good distance on the journey in direction of this, there may be nonetheless progress to be made. Imagine a Commonwealth during which everybody has the identical entry to training.
• National legends and folklore can take us on a journey via historical past and tradition. Retell a well-known folklore from your personal or one other Commonwealth nation in a shocking method.
• “Human beings have always needed the connection of literature – its wisdom as well as its sheer escapism.” – Her Majesty Queen Camilla. Books can take us on journeys to the wildest and most surprising locations! Write a few time a e-book took you on a journey; how did it have an effect on you?
• From tiny seeds to massive redwoods, bushes and crops expertise adjustments and progress all through their life cycles. Write a narrative concerning the life journey of a plant rising within the centre of your neighborhood; what does it expertise?

Junior Category (Word Count: most of 750 phrases)

• “Together, we represent a third of humanity, with all the splendidly diverse complexity that this entails.” – His Majesty King Charles. Learning new info can take us on journeys to new locations. Write a few time you discovered one thing attention-grabbing a few completely different Commonwealth nation from your personal.
• Commonwealth states vary from small island nations like Nauru to bigger nations like India. Write an account of a sea voyage from one Commonwealth nation to a small island Commonwealth nation. What do you see, who do you meet?
• You embark on a really particular journey while you uncover a secret door that takes you into your favorite e-book! What occurs subsequent?
• October 2024 noticed Commonwealth leaders journey to Samoa for the 2024  Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Imagine what an animal CHOGM would seem like! Which animals journey there? What do they focus on?

Prizes

• The two winners from every age class can be awarded with a trip to London for every week of academic and cultural evens, culminating in a particular Awards Ceremony at a Royal Palace.
• All profitable entries will obtain a Certificate of Participation and a variety of entries will obtain Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards for excellence in writing.

Eligibility

• Open to nationals or residents of all Commonwealth nations and territories, in addition to residents of Hong Kong, Ireland, and Zimbabwe.
• Applicants to the senior class needs to be born between 23 May 2006 and 23 May 2011 (14-18 years of age).
• Applicants to the junior class needs to be born on or after 23 May 2011 (underneath 14 years of age).

Application

Click here to apply

For extra info, go to QCEC.