For International School Students in Thailand: Amnesty International Young Journalist of the Year Award

Deadline: 24 December 2012

The Regent's School Pattaya and Amnesty International welcome you to take part in this great competition!

Regent’s School has teamed up with Amnesty International Thailand to hold the inaugural Young Journalist of the Year Awards. There will be 2 categories: Under 18 ( UK year 13 and below) and U14 (UK year 9 and below). Contestants will choose to write an article on one of five topics. The shortlisted finalists will be invited to a media training day in Bangkok and an overall winner in both categories will be awarded "Young Journalist of the Year Thailand".

THE TOPICS WILL BE THE FOLLOWING:

• Arms Trade
• Death Penalty
• Corporate Accountability
• Refugees and Migrants
• Freedom of Expression

OBJECTIVES:

• To encourage young people to investigate what is going on in the world and bring human rights abuses to light
• To capture and enhance the reporting skills that exists in young people but are often ignored
• To strengthen the network of AI student groups in academic institutions nationwide

TARGET GROUPS:

The competition is open to all lower and upper secondary students in over 500 international and bilingual schools in Thailand. The competition language is English. There are two categories:

• Under 14 (KS3)
• Under 18 (KS4+)

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

• Completed Application Form (to be made available online at www.amnesty.or.th)
• Feature article in English on one of the following human rights issues:
• Arms Trade
• Death Penalty
• Corporate Accountability
• Refugees and Migrants
• Freedom of Expression

Feature articles should be up to 500 words (Max) in length for both the categories. Submissions should be in Microsoft Word in A4 format; Font type: Cordia New; Font size: 14pt; single line spacing.

COMPETITION RULES:

• Entry is for lower and upper secondary students only.
• The writing must be original, previously unused, entirely the work of the student entrant alone and must be approved by the student’s teacher.
• If an advisor chooses to accompany the student to the training workshop, he/she must come from the same institution as the participant.Students may or may not be accompanied by their advisor, parent or guardian.
• The one-and-half day training workshop includes half a day media visit which is optional for students under 14(KS3).
• The declared participants are considered final and no substitutions will be entertained under any circumstance.
• All decision with regard to the conduct of the event taken by Amnesty International Thailand and the Regent’s Schools Pattaya are final.
• Certificates will be issued to every entrant.

Feature articles and application forms can be sent directly to Amnesty International Thailand by post at 90/24 Soi Ladprao1, Jompol, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900; or by fax to 02 9892534, or by email to aithcenter@gmail.com. For more information please visit www.amnesty.or.th.

PRIZES:

• The overall winner in each category will receive a trophy, monetary prize and be named Young Journalist of the Year Thailand
• The two winning articles will be published in one of the leading English - language print media in Thailand
• All the 20 shortlisted articles will be published by Amnesty International Thailand and used as part of Amnesty press releases and other promotion
• All 20 shortlisted entrants in the second round will be invited to a one day training workshop and half a day visit to a media house
• All participants in the first round will be awarded certificates and souvenirs

PROJECT CALENDAR:

• Official Opening: 27th September 2012
• Call for Applications: 27th September – 24th December 2012
• Closing Date for submissions: 24th December 2012
• Announcement of shortlisted participants in Round two: 27th February 2013
• Training workshop and visit to media house in the month of March 2013
• Announcement of the winner in each category: 8th April 2013

Download: lesson plan, resource sheets, terms and conditions

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: aithcenter@gmail.com

Website: http://www.amnesty.or.th/