1st European Solidarity Essay Prize

Run by the charity Action for Education, they are inviting essay submissions from students aged 13-18 to take part in 1st European Solidarity Essay Prize. The competition aims to encourage Secondary and High School students to engage with contemporary issues of solidarity in Europe during the COVID-19 period. Submissions may be made either individually, or via the school, and winning submissions will receive cash prizes of €300, €200 and €100, as well as publication in our online journal. These winning submissions will be selected by our panel of professional authors and journalists. Deadline for submissions is 20th June 2020 (World Refugee Day).

The European Solidarity Essay Prize is a new initiative encouraging young people to reflect on the meanings and practices of solidarity in Europe, with specific reference to migration and refugee issues. The competition is run by the charity Action for Education.

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Action for Education (AFE) is a grassroots nonprofit supporting refugee children and youth on the Aegean Islands in Greece. AFE also seeks to raise awareness and to work with European society to develop better ways of welcoming refugees.

The essay prize is split into two categories:

1. 13-15 years category: Write a creative story that compares your experience of lockdown with the experience of those in a refugee camp. (Max. 1000 words)
2. 16-18 years category: To what extent is solidarity under threat at Europe’s borders? (1500-2000 words)