The Global Paper Writing Competition brings together students and young people from around the world to collaborate on innovative ideas focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This competition provides a platform for participants to connect globally, combine their skills, and propose impactful solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. Papers should address one or more of the 17 SDGs, offering fresh perspectives, research, or practical solutions that can drive progress toward achieving these goals by 2030.
Objectives:
- Foster global collaboration among youth from diverse backgrounds, fields of study, and cultures.
- Encourage innovative and practical solutions for addressing the SDGs.
- Promote interdisciplinary approaches to solving sustainability challenges.
- Engage the global community in discussions on sustainability through public voting and expert judging.
Participation Criteria:
- Eligibility:
- Participants must be aged 15 to 25. They can be students enrolled in secondary or post-secondary education (university, college, or equivalent), or any youth with a strong interest in the SDGs.
- Team Collaboration:
- Participants must express an interest in collaborating with youth from different institutions, regions, or countries. Forming teams of 2-4 members from at least two different institutions or countries is required.
- Cross-disciplinary teams (youth from different fields of study or expertise) are strongly encouraged to bring diverse perspectives and knowledge to the project.
- Paper Topic:
- The paper must focus on one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It can be based on research, practical solutions, policy recommendations, or community-based projects addressing specific SDGs.
- Papers should include:
- Problem Statement: Identification of a challenge related to the SDG(s).
- Proposed Solution: A detailed and innovative solution or strategy.
- Impact: How the solution can contribute to achieving the SDG(s).
- Feasibility: Practical steps and resources needed for implementation.
- Submission Requirements:
- Length: Papers should be between 3,000-5,000 words.
- Format: Submissions must adhere to academic writing standards (APA/MLA/Chicago styles) and be submitted in PDF format.
- Language: Papers must be written in English.
- Deadline: All entries must be submitted by the competition deadline.
- Public Engagement:
- All participating teams must showcase their papers on the competition’s online platform, where the public can vote for their favorite submissions.
- Participants are encouraged to actively promote their projects on social media and other platforms to gather public support.
Selection Criteria:
- Public Voting (30%):
- Each submitted paper will be available on the competition's website for public voting. Public votes will account for 30% of the total score.
- Participants are encouraged to spread awareness about their solutions and engage with the global community to build support for their work.
- Judging Panel (70%): A panel of experts from various fields (academics, sustainability experts, industry leaders, and NGO representatives) will evaluate the papers based on the following:
- Innovation & Creativity (25%):
- How original and creative is the proposed solution? Does it bring a new perspective or approach to solving challenges related to the SDGs?
- Relevance to SDGs (20%):
- How well does the paper align with the specific SDG(s)? Is the identified challenge clearly linked to one or more of the SDGs?
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration (15%):
- Does the paper showcase collaboration across disciplines or countries? How well do the team members integrate their diverse backgrounds into the solution?
- Feasibility & Impact (25%):
- How realistic is the proposed solution in terms of implementation? Does the paper outline a clear and practical path toward achieving tangible results related to the SDGs?
- Clarity & Communication (15%):
- Is the paper well-structured, clear, and easy to understand? Does it effectively communicate its key points and arguments to both expert and general audiences?
Awards:
- Global Winners:
- First Place: $5,000 USD, plus the opportunity to present the paper at an international sustainability conference (all expenses covered).
- Second Place: $3,000 USD, plus a mentorship opportunity with an SDG expert or sustainability leader.
- Third Place: $2,000 USD, with publication of the paper in a sustainability journal or on a renowned platform.
Certificates of Recognition:
- All participants who submit a paper will receive a certificate acknowledging their contribution to global sustainability and interdisciplinary collaboration.
This competition challenges participants to think globally, collaborate widely, and propose sustainable solutions that could shape a better future. Through both public engagement and expert evaluation, it seeks to foster the next generation of innovators and leaders dedicated to achieving the SDGs.