ELS and the United Nations Academic Impact are pleased to sponsor the fourth Many Languages, One World^® Student Essay Contest and Global Youth Forum. This year welcomes Northeastern University as the host of the Many Languages, One World Global Youth Forum and the sponsor and organizer of the Northeastern University Global Youth Conference.

Sixty winners will be selected as delegates to the 2017 Many Languages, One World Global Youth Forum, where they will create action plans related to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

ELS Educational Services, Inc. will award each winner with an all-expense paid trip to Boston and New York City between 15-26, July 2017.  At the Global Youth Forum, the students will create action plans addressing selected topics from the Sustainable Development Agenda, and will present their views at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. These international delegates will also have the opportunity to interact with invited international scholars and tour Boston and New York City. The deadline for essay submissions is 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday, 16 March, 2017.

Airfare, accommodations and meals will be provided by ELS Educational Services, Inc.

To Participate:
Write an original essay (2,000 words or fewer) discussing global citizenship and cultural understanding, and the role that multilingual ability can play in fostering these.  The essay should reflect your personal, academic, cultural and national context.

Many Languages, One World promotes the continued learning of the six official languages of the United Nations-Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.  To qualify, essays must be written in an official language of the United Nations that is neither your first language (language(s) spoken at home) nor the medium of instruction in either your primary or secondary education (or a medium of instruction if attending a bilingual school). You will need to demonstrate both written and verbal competency in the language of the essay.  You must be a full-time university student, referred and endorsed by a faculty member or university representative, and must be 18 years of age or older by the contest deadline.

Many Languages, One World 2017 Student Essay Contest and Global Youth Forum
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), in collaboration with ELS Educational Services, Inc., (ELS) invites students, 18 years and older, who are enrolled in a full-time course of study at a college or university, to participate in the Many Languages, One World Essay Contest.

ESSAY TOPIC: The essay should discuss global citizenship and cultural understanding, and the role that multilingual ability can play in fostering these. The essay should reflect the student’s personal, academic, cultural and national context.

ENTRY RULES: Essays of up to 2,000 words in length must be written in one of the six official languages of the United Nations-Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish.

Language Eligibility:

• The essay must be written in a language you have learned, or are currently learning, after completing your secondary school studies.
• The essay can be written in a language that you learned as a subject during your pre-university schooling, at a language institute, or at university.
• The essay cannot be written in your first language, or a language you speak at home, or grew up speaking.
• If you attended bilingual primary and/or secondary schools, your essay cannot be written in those languages of instruction.
• If you attended a half-year to year-long school or government sponsored exchange program where one of the 6 languages was spoken, your essay cannot be written in that language.

In order to participate, a faculty member or authorized representative of your college or university is required to complete and submit a referral form attesting that:

• You are a current full-time student at the institution, in good standing,
• Your essay was written in accordance with the Language Eligibility rules above,
• The essay is your original, unaided work.

To enter the contest, you must complete the student entry form and upload your essay in the space at the bottom of that form. Essays must be uploaded in MS Word format by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, 16 March, 2017. We will not accept essays via email. Only one essay will be accepted per student.

Essay Submission Deadline:
Thursday, 16 March, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Scholarship Link