Deadline: June 15, 2022.

This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity 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.

STORY THEME

“My Values”

Our values determine how we think and act, and they shape the society we live in. What are the values that you hold dear? How can you best live your life in line with those values, and in doing so, what kind of society do you hope to create?

ELIGIBILITY

1. Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2022) 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 or French, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese. Essays must be typed, with your name and essay title included at the top of the first page.
3. There are no particular rules regarding formatting (font style, size, line space, etc.). However, essays must be submitted in either MS Word (DOC/DOCX) or PDF format. Also, your essay file size must be 2MB or less.

PRIZES

The following awards will be given in the Children’s category and Youth category respectively:

1. 1st Prize: Certificate, prize of 100,000 Yen (approx. US$840 as of Feb. 2022) and gift … 1 entrant
2. 2nd Prize: Certificate, prize of 50,000 Yen (approx. US$420 as of Feb. 2022) and gift … 3 entrants
3. 3rd Prize: Certificate and gift … 5 entrants
4. Honorable Mention: Certificate and gift … 25 entrants
5. 1st to 3rd prize winners will be invited to the Winners Gathering to be held online.
6. Additional awards (Best School Award, School Incentive Award) will be given if applicable.
7. All prize winners will be announced on October 31, 2022 (Japan time) on this website. Certificates and gifts will be mailed to the winners in December 2022.
8. They are unable to answer individual inquiries concerning contest results.

APPLICATION

1. Entries must be submitted online. To send your essay online, you must go to the online registration page, and follow the required steps.
2. Entries submitted by postal mail or e-mail are not accepted.
3. Teachers and youth directors may submit a collection of essays from their class or group by creating an ‘account for school/organization entrant’ on the online registration page.

OFFICIAL LINK