2016 International Essay Contest for Young People

Organized by The Goi Peace Foundation Endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, Japan Private High School Federation Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, Japan Broadcasting Corporation, Nikkei Inc. Supported by FELISSIMO CORPORATION

This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, imagination 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 of the UNESCO Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

THEME: "Education to Build a Better Future for All" We live in a world with many complex problems, both local and global. What kind of education and learning would help us address these challenges and create a sustainable world and a better life for all? Describe your concrete ideas for an ideal education. GUIDELINES: 1. Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2016) in one of the following age categories: a) Children (ages up to 14) b) Youth (ages 15 - 25) 2. Essays must be 700 words or less in English, French, Spanish or German, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese, excluding essay title. Essays may be typed or printed. 3. Essays must have a cover page indicating (1) category (Children or Youth) (2) essay title (3) your name (4) address (5) phone number (6) e-mail (7) nationality (8) age as of June 15, 2016 (9) gender (10) school name (if applicable) (11) word count. Teachers and youth directors may submit a collection of essays from their class or group. Please enclose a list of participants' names, ages and the name and contact information of the submitting teacher or director. * Entries missing any of the above information will not be considered. * Please note that the organizer is unable to confirm receipt of essays or answer individual inquiries concerning contest results. 4. Entries may be submitted by postal mail or online. * IMPORTANT: To send your essay online, you must go to the online registration page and follow the required steps. 5. Essays must be original and unpublished. Plagiarized entries will be rejected. 6. Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted. 7. Copyright of the essays entered will be assigned to the organizer. DEADLINE: Entries must be received by June 15, 2016 (23:59 your local time).. AWARD: The following awards will be given in the Children’s category and Youth category respectively: 1st Prize: Certificate and prize of 100,000 Yen (approx. US$880 as of February 2016) ... 1 entrant 2nd Prize: Certificate and prize of 50,000 Yen (approx. US$440 as of February 2016) ... 2 entrants 3rd Prize: Certificate and gift ... 5 entrants Honorable Mention: Certificate and gift ... 25 entrants * 1st prize winners will be invited to the award ceremony in Tokyo, Japan scheduled for November 2016 and will receive the Minister of Education Award. (Travel expenses will be covered by the organizer.) * Additional awards (Recognition for Effort, Best School Award, School Incentive Award) will be given if applicable. * All prize winners will be announced by the end of October 2016 on the Goi Peace Foundation web site (www.goipeace.or.jp). Certificates and gifts will be mailed to the winners in December 2016. PLEASE SEND YOUR ENTRIES TO:  International Essay Contest c/o The Goi Peace Foundation 1-4-5 Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0093 Japan OR send online. * For inquiries, please contact essay@goipeace.or.jp