Many Languages, One World 2016 Student Essay Contest

Multilingual students: Win a Trip to New York to take part in the United Nations Academic Impact Global Youth Forum

The United Nations Academic Impact, in collaboration with ELS Educational Services, Inc., invites students, 18 years and older, who are enrolled in a full-time course of study at a college or university, to participate in the Many Languages, One World Essay Contest. Sixty students will be selected as delegates to the 2016 United Nations Academic Impact Global Youth Forum, 25-31 July, 2016, where they will create action plans related to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The students will present these action plans at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Airfare to New York, Room and Meals will be provided by ELS. 

To Participate:  Write an original essay (2,000 words or less) discussing global citizenship and cultural understanding and the role that multilingual ability can play in fostering these. The essay should reflect your personal, academic, cultural and national context. Essays must be written in an official language of the United Nations that is not your first language or primary language of instruction during your primary or secondary education. The official United Nations languages are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. You will need to demonstrate both written and verbal competency in the language of the essay. You must be a full-time university student, at the undergraduate or graduate level, recommended and endorsed by a Faculty Member or University Representative, and must be 18 years of age or older by the contest deadline.