2020 Youth Writes Awards: Open for Global Submissions

“I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Updated 18 June, 2020: Following the success of Global Geneva’s first 2019 Youth Writes Awards and the high quality of entries, we have launched our 2020 second edition. This time, however, given the strong interest expressed by mainly international schools in locations ranging from Frankfurt to Bangkok, but also schools in Africa, we have decided to open the awards to high school students worldwide. The purpose of this contest is to ‘read’ the voices of young people about how they perceive their world today. (Also see: A chance for young people to get published)

Our 2020 Youth Writes Awards initiative is made possible with an initial grant by the Jan Michalski Foundation, which fosters authors, literature and the arts at its stylistically-modern writers’ centre at the foot of the Jura Mountains overlooking Lake Geneva.

However, we hope that other foundations and donors will contribute so that we can involve as many schools as possible, particularly given that our main aim is to help young people gain a better understanding of the 2030 SDGs, but also to reflect on them through their writing. Depending on additional support, we wish to include the sponsored complimentary distribution of high quality print copies of Global Geneva magazine to all interested schools, wherever they are. In 2019, we undertook a target distribution of 4,000 copies of the magazine to schools and youth events in Switzerland, including the edition with the published entries of the three winning 2019 laureates. For more information on how to support us, please contact: editor@global-geneva.com

Open to high school students worldwide

Any student (14-19 years old) may enter, but we urge that you first discuss with your teachers on what – and how to enter. We do not mind if writers recieve help or are part of a school project (every good writer needs to be edited). But we want the final product to reflect the original work of the author.

All articles or stories (1000 words maximum) can be fact or fiction, and in any person. They can also be written like a magazine article or a fiction story. That’s up to you. All pieces, however, must focus on an international Geneva theme or any of the UN’s SDGs. So entries can deal with topics such as refugees, conservation, climate change, food security, oceans, pollution, human rights, migration, war, racism, world trade, cyber abuse, corruption, the destruction of cultural heritage…

Deadline extended to 30 September 2020.

Some excellent entries have been coming in but at the request of various teachers, parents and students, we have been asked to extend the deadline because of Covid. It is now 30 September 2020. All entries will be judged and commented on by a team of professional editors and writers across the globe. We will be seeking good writing, observation, and unusual approaches, including first person experiences. We wish to encourage good writing as a critical form of self-expression, particularly in a digital age where the art of quality reading and writing are often ignored.

The best writing will be published by Global Geneva magazine both in print/e-edition as well as online. Depending on the overall quality of entries, we are considering the publication of a Youth Writes Special print/e-edition in late 2020.

2020 Youth Writes Awards: Travel Grants

The winning Youth Writes awards consist of three travel grants:

1. 1200 CHF/USD; 2. 750 CHF/USD and 3. 500 CHF/USD

“A word after a word after a word is power.” Margaret Atwood

How to apply:

Send your entries marked in the subject line as: Youth Writes 2020 Awardsor YW2020, with the Titleof your piece. Please send to: editor@global-geneva.com
All entries must be in English and no longer than 1,000 words. They must be sent by email and as a WORD document.
Please provide us with your full name, age, email, name and address of high school, and, if possible, a scanned photo ID.
In your message, please let us know briefly (no more than 150 words) why you decided to enter your story. Is there a story behind the story?

You can see the 2019 winning laureates here.

1st Prize: http://global-geneva.com//the-price-of-purity/

2nd Prize: http://global-geneva.com//kyanite-by-mohamed-diagne-2019-youth-writes-second-prize-laureate/

3rd Prize: http://global-geneva.com//capital-by-nicholas-machen-2019-youth-writes-third-prize-laureate/

Hamburger Menu