NYCN calls on #IYD essays
Cash up for grabs
International Youth Day (#IYD) is commemorated every year on 12 August, bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society.#IYD 2024 is commemorated under the theme: “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development”, which underscores that young people are leading the charge in digital adoption and innovation, with three-quarters of those aged 15 to 24 using the internet in 2022, a rate higher than other age groups.
However, disparities persist, particularly in low-income countries and among young women, who often have less access to the internet and digital skills compared to their counterparts. There is, therefore, an urgent need to enhance digital inclusion, thereby promoting the use of technology to drive change and create solutions.
To this end, the National Youth Council of Namibia (NYCN), in commemoration of #IYD 2024, invites young Namibians aged between 16 and 35 to participate in the #IYD 2024 Essay Competition, aimed at encouraging youth to explore and articulate their perspectives on the role of digital technology in promoting sustainable development.
Youths are invited to write and submit (a) original, (b) English essays between 1 200 and 1 700 words on one of the three given topics:
• Digital Activism, Youth Movements and Policy Change: Exploring How Youth-led DigitalActivism is influencing Policies related to climate change and sustainability;
• The Role of Digital Literacy in Empowering Youth for Sustainable Development: Analysing How Enhancing Digital Skills Among Youth Can Drive Sustainable Practices and Innovation; and
• Youth Entrepreneurship in the Digital Age: How Young Entrepreneurs Are Leveraging Technology to Create Sustainable Business Models and Contribute to Local Economies.
Essays will be evaluated against relevance, originality and creativity, clarity and coherence, and research and evidence, and must be the participant's own work not submitted elsewhere.
All submissions will be tested for plagiarism and Generative AI.
In each category, five finalists will be selected and invited to deliver a 15-minute presentation on a date to be announced soon, following which cash prizes of N$10 000, N$5 000 and N$2 500 will be awarded to the top three entrants respectively per category (topic), with the overall winner receiving N$15 000.
Participants are invited to submit their essays by no later than 23 August 2024 at 23:59 via bit.ly/IYD2024essays