imagine: 2018 - Palestine

imagine: 2018 Essay Contest

In Palestine, OneVoice has partnered with the Palestinian Ministry of Education to bring the imagine Palestine: 2018 essay contest into Palestinian schools across the West Bank and Gaza. The students will be asked: If in 2008 a fair and comprehensive peace was achieved, guaranteeing the end of occupation and the establishment of a viable independent Palestinian state at peace with Israel, how do you see Palestine in 2018, after 10 years of independence and peace? Through the Ministry, OneVoice Palestine is working with 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade teachers in public, private, and UNRWA schools to facilitate the contest.

WHEN DOES THE CONTEST TAKE PLACE? Applicants will have from 1 March 2008 until 1 April 2008 to submit their essays to the Ministry, during which time each classroom will dedicate 2 classes toward writing the essays. Students are encouraged to think about and work on their essays at home as well.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? All school children aged 13-17 throughout the West Bank and Gaza are eligible to participate.

HOW DO PARTICIPANTS SUBMIT ENTRIES? Submissions will be collected by teachers and administrators in each school. All submissions must be accompanied by an information sheet including the following items: Entrant's Name, Age, Address, Nationality, District, Name of School, Contact Information, and a Title for His/Her Work.

WHAT IS THE SELECTION PROCESS? By 1 April 2008, each school will submit the top essays to be considered by the Ministry of Education and the OneVoice Palestine office. Through two rounds of selection, the original pool of applicants will be narrowed down to 50 winners by 20 April 2008: two winners per district, plus the top 4 essays overall.

WHAT IS THE SCORING CRITERIA? Essays will be scored by teachers and then by the judges panel, based on the following criteria and 100-point system:

Clarity of Message - 30 points
Potential Effectiveness of Message - 15 points
Creativity of Vision - 15 points
Potential to Motivate Others to Act - 25 points

WHAT DO WINNERS RECEIVE? An event honoring the winners will be held on Tuesday, 26 August 2008. All 50 winning essays will be published in a booklet, to be presented to the Palestinian governmental leadership. Additionally, the winners' essays will be entered into the pool of applicants for the imagine: 2018 Director's Cut.