Raising Awareness Through A World Bank Essay Competition

The World Bank essay competition is organized by the World Bank and partners like YouThink! and several educational and civil society institutions from across the globe. It is an attempt to make people aware of social problems that exist in society and gather information on how to tackle them. In other words, the social wing of World Bank is making a concerted attempt to make the world a better place to live in. A steering committee has been appointed that decides the topic and format of the contest. It also monitors it every year to ensure free and fair results. Participants have the scope to express themselves about problems that concern people around them. A winner’s essay would be published in important publications and relevant websites or can be used for dissertations.

The steering committee oversees the process of grading essays. The essays would have to be original and should deal with all aspects of the topic. Proposals and examples that stand out would be appreciated. The competition allows entries in the form of essays and videos for adults between 18 to 25 years. Language barriers and access to technology has been considered, so participants need not worry too much about language errors and video quality.

Entries would be accepted in English, Spanish, and French between January and March of each year. The appointed jury would select eight essay finalists and three in the video category. World Bank essay competitions would allow winners a chance to travel and present their work to a select audience in May. Three prizes are awarded in each category with $3,000 as first prize for the essay contest.

In 2010, the topic chosen was Youth Unemployment. With about 24.7% of the world’s working population, it is imperative that suggestions are sought not just from the experts who monitor the situation but also from the youth who may be affected by the various downtrends that lead to unemployment. The essay question(s) raised is how the youth could tackle unemployment through solutions led by them. Participants have to present their views on the unemployment situation in their own countries and hometown. The answers would be gauged by the quality of examples presented, originality, and creativity. A World Bank essay competition is the chance the youth should be looking for in presenting viable solutions to the world’s social problems.

Reference can be taken from a list of resources offered through the website Essaycompetition.org. Other sources can be used by participants, but proper reference must be made to all quotations included. The purpose of writing the essay has been established. It invariably concerns problems and issues related to the same age group that faces them. The platform provided could create awareness. It can offer solutions to complex problems that may exist in remote corners of the world but which could be avoided in the future. The world would definitely be a better place to live in, if the youth take a more active role in improving the situation. Participating in World Bank essay competitions would be a good place to start.