Young Commonwealth Competition 2010

Do you enjoy writing, film or photography?
Interested in the world around you?
Are you creative?Enter the Royal Commonwealth Society,s Young Commonwealth Competitions!These prestigious awards, open to anybody under the age of 30 living in a Commonwealth country, encourage creative responses to global challenges and offer a unique international platform for young talent.
Over 60,000 young people enter our Competitions every year. But our winners are often those picking up a camera or putting pen to paper for the very first time. Don,t be put off! We,re not looking for perfection. We,re looking for a creative spark, a unique insight, a new idea...
Enter one of our Competitions and you could: Take part in expert workshops with leading figures in your creative field Meet famous authors, film directors, and photographers at a Gala
Awards Ceremony held in Central London’s Commonwealth Club Visit the BBC’s global headquarters, Buckingham Palace, the Commonwealth
Secretariat and other high-profile venues in the UK’s capital city See your work exhibited in different locations around London and
featured in the press worldwide Attend a show in London’s West End and take part in drama workshops Win cash prizes and camera equipment Meet other young people from around the world who share your interests
Through our Competitions we aim to: Nurture the creative talent of young people Encourage young people to respond to current international issues Enable young people to share their thoughts with peers around the world Give young people a safe, creative forum for their ideas and a global
platform for their talent Promote the use of the English language
The Young Commonwealth Competitions take a different theme each year. In 2010, the focus is on Science, Technology and Society. We want to encourage you to think about the role that science and technology can play in helping to tackle challenges faced by your own community, or those living in another part of the world.
Keep reading to find out how you can enter our Essay, Film or Photography Competitions...
Commonwealth Essay Competition
Run by the RCS for over 100 years, this is the world’s oldest and largest schools’ writing competition. Choose from a list of ten topics which all aim to fire your imagination on the theme Science, Technology and Society. Write us an essay or go creative and compose a story, a poem, a film script, a play… the possibilities are endless! We ask only that your entry must be your own original work. Send us your entry by 1 May 2010.
For full details, please visit: www.thercs.org/youth/essaycompetition
Commonwealth Photographic Awards
One powerful image can often say more than many pages of writing. If you want to make your response to the Science, Technology and Society theme an image, then start snapping! Whether you use a digital, analogue, or disposable camera – or even a mobile phone – we want to see your pictures. Send them in by 1 June 2010 and you’ll be in line for some fantastic prizes.
For full details, please visit: www.thercs.org/youth/photoawards
Commonwealth Vision Awards
Aspiring young filmmakers are invited to make a 30-90 second film responding to the Science, Technology and Society theme. Submit your storyboard ideas, in written, picture or film format, by 1 March 2010 and you could win a seed grant of up to £1,000. Alternatively, submit your fully-made film via YouTube or post a hard copy before the closing date of 1 July 2010.
For full details, please visit: www.thercs.org/youth/visionawards
For the Essay Competition please choose ONE of the following topics:
What technological invention(s) would most improve life in your community?
The mad scientist.
What positive steps can you or I start to take to tackle climate change?
The day the computer started misbehaving.
“Science never solves a problem without creating ten more.”
(George Bernard Shaw)
An adventure in space.
What is knowledge? Who owns it? How can it best be taught or transmitted?

A ‘eureka’ moment.
Is your generation wiser than your grandparents’ generation?
Welcome to my Utopia!
We will be accepting entries to all the Competitions from 8 March 2010.
In the interests of limiting our carbon footprint, we would prefer you to make all entries online. However, we do understand that this won’t be possible for everyone, so postal entries can be sent to:
The Competitions Manager Royal Commonwealth Society
25 Northumberland Avenue London WC2N 5AP United Kingdom
Please note that all applicants must fill in an application form or their entry will not be processed.
These forms, as well rules and deadlines, can be found on our website:
www.thercs.org/youth/competitions.
If you have a query, please email us at competitions@thercs.org or call us on +44 (0)207 766 9204.
So,... join in and let,s get creative!