Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay Award 2024

The Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay Award is open to all nationals. The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Trade and Youth teams are hosting an online Innovative Youth Essay Award Competition under the theme of “Think Trade, Think Green,” which encourages students and young researchers who are Commonwealth nationals between the ages of 18 and 29 to present their perspectives on an important topic: How can trade and trade policy address an aspect of the climate crisis in your country? Each participant must identify a specific issue related to the topic of competition.

For more than 50 years, the Commonwealth Young Program (CYP) has prioritized young empowerment because it understands that it is a necessary requirement for inclusive development and economic progress. The Commonwealth Essay Competition 2024 aims to encourage young people in the Commonwealth to determine the link between trade and climate change and suggest ways in which trade policy can contribute to the resolution of the climate crisis.

In this youth award competition, the entries will be evaluated on the quality of writing, coherence with international trade policy frameworks, uniqueness of the problems stated and solutions offered, and other factors. The essays will be reviewed by the Trade and Youth Team. A prestigious panel will evaluate the submissions, and the participants in the three best essays will be awarded a prize.

• The competition is online so you don’t have to travel anywhere.
• Opportunity to win First prize of £1,000 or Second and third prizes of £500 each.
• The essays of winners will be published as part of the Trade Competitiveness Briefing Series.
• The winners’ essays will be launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

• Must be Commonwealth nationals.
• Essay should not be more than 2,000 words which should include in-text references and footnotes as well. The reference list is excluded.
• Should do full referencing in any style.