The 2013 Global Human Rights Essay Contest ($3,000 top prize | Korea/ worldwide)

Deadline: 1 February 2013

The 2013 Global Human Rights Essay Contest on “Human Right City” (Hereafter HRC Essay Contest) is a joint initiative by the Human Rights Center of Seoul National University, the May 18 Institute of Chonnam National University, and the Korea Human Rights Foundation (KHRF) with support of the Metropolitan City of Gwangju in connection with the 3rd World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) which will be held from 16 to 18 May 2013 in Gwangju, South Korea.

It is co-sponsored by the following partner organizations; UNESCO Asia-Pacific Center of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU), United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) - Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory

Democracy and Human Rights, CIVICUS-World Alliance for Citizen Participation and CARR CENTER for Human Rights Policy of HARVARD Kennedy School

Its primary goal is to promote university students’ and youth participation in the building of a human rights city through the articulation of their visions and experiences about human rights city. The ideas and proposals contained in the essays are expected to be used for the promotion of a human rights city as a means to localize human rights in the context of glocalization (globalization + localization) and glurbanization (globalization + urbanization), in particular, for the implementation of the 2011 Gwangju Declaration on Human Rights City and the 2012 Gwangju Statement of the WHRCF, Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City of the UCLG, and research on local government and human rights of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (HRCAC).

Three semi-finalists will make presentations and compete for first place on 15 May 2015 prior to the WHRCF in Gwangju, South Korea.

ELIGIBILITY:

• In order to provide a platform for the youth and young adults to actively participate in human rights,the HRC Essay Contest is open to youth from the age of 30 and younger.
• Restriction applies to youth that have Ph. D.
• Award winners from previous HRC Essay Contest are also restricted from applying.

PROCEDURES AND DEADLINE:

• All participants must complete register no later than on or before 1 Feb., 2013 by midnight Korea Standard Time (KST). Registration will be accepted starting on January 10, 2013 at www.humanrights.or.kr
• The deadline for submission of essay is on March 1, 2013 by midnight Korea Standard Time (KST).
• The announcement of the 3 candidates for the final round will be made online at the HRC Essay Contest Website on April 1, 2013.
• The 3 finalists from the respective Korean and English tracks are invited to make presentations of their essays before judges on May 15, 2013during the WHRCF2013.
• The award ceremony will take place on May 17, 2013 at the closing session of the WHRCF.

LANGUAGE AND LENGTH:

• Participants have an option of writing the essay in Korean or English.
• Length of essay should be between 5,000 and 10,000 words
• Sources and quotations must be cited properly.
• Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
• Proper bibliography or footnotes must be included.

WRITING TOPICS AND GUIDELINES:

• The essay is expected to deal with issues related to human rights city.
• The essay is expected to answer the following hypothetical question “If I were to change my city to a human rights city– how would I promote and implement human rights city in the local and/or national context”.
• The city that you plan to write about can be a city that you are a resident of or a city that you are particularly interested in. The city must not be hypothetical.
• The essay may be written by an individual or a group (maximum of 3 writers). In the case that a group is chosen as a finalist, only one writer will be funded to present at the WHRCF 2013.

Participants should read the following basic documents before the writing the essay in accordance with the guideline questions.

• Gwangju Declaration on a Human Rights City of the WHRCF 2011 (17 May 2011)
• Gwangju Statement of WHRCF 2012 (17 May 2012)
• Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City (11 Dec. 2011)
• Local Governments and Human Rights: Doing Good Service by the International Council on Human Rights Policy (ICHRP)

The main contents must have one or a few of the following questions as the base argument:

GUIDELINE QUESTIONS FOR ESSAY WRITING :

• How can you address the challenges and implement the recommendations contained in the 2011 Gwangju Declaration on Human Rights City and 2012 Gwangju Statement of the WHRCF in your own city and local community?
• How can you implement the Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City in your own city and local community?
• How can your own city or local government contribute to the implementation of the recommendations of UN Human Rights Treaty bodies, special procedures mandate holders and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to your own national government? (please refer to www.ohchr.org for detailed information on the UN recommendations to your own country)
• What are some key challenges in building the human rights city and how can you overcome them in your own city, local community and/or country?

Please keep in mind that you are not restricted to write on only one topic nor limited on the topics stated above. Multiple ideas/topics that can properly express your ideal human rights city can be used.

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS:

• Upon initial review, 3 finalists each from the Korean track and English track will be chosen and announced on April 1, 2013.
• The 3 candidates will then be invited to make presentations of their essays before the panel of judges in the final round on 15 May 2013 prior the WHRCF 2013.
• In the case of a team paper of overseas participants is chosen as a finalist, the main writer or 1 representative will be funded to make the presentation in Gwangju, Korea.
• In the case the selected finalist is not able to attend the WHRCF and compete in the final round of the essay contest, the opportunity will then go to the next contestant that scored the highest during the initial judging.

THE AWARDS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Airfare and accommodations to attend the WHRCF 2013 for all finalists. *If a team is selected as a finalist, airfare and accommodations will be compensated for one member.

Korean Track:

• First Prize: 1 person/team will receive Gwangju City Mayor Award, KRW3,000,000
• Second Prize: 1 person/team will receive Gwangju City Mayor Award, KRW 2,000,000
• Third Prize: 1 person/team receive Gwangju City Mayor Award, KRW 1,000,000

English Track:

• First Prize: 1 person/team will receive Gwangju City Mayor Award, US $3,000
• Second Prize: 1 person/team will receive Gwangju City Mayor Award, US $2,000
• Third Prize: 1 person/team receive Gwangju City Mayor Award, US $1,000

SUBMISSION AND INQUIRES:

• Registration will close on midnight (KST) on 1 February, 2013. All participants MUST register online. Registration will be available starting January 10, 2013 at www.humanrights.or.kr
• Papers must be submitted online through the human rights cities website www.humanrights.or.kr. There will be a space where papers can be uploaded.
• All papers must be sent by no later than midnight (KST) on March 1, 2013.
• All submissions must be in Microsoft Word format (.doc).

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: khrf99@gmail.com or call +82-2-363-0002

For submissions: via the online registration form

Website: http://www.humanrights.or.kr/english