🏆🏆🏆 "The Alex Petersen Memorial Award for Young Leaders in Foreign Policy"

  • June 09, 2021
  • ? - 12:00 PM (BST)

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The Alex Petersen Memorial Award for Young Leaders in Foreign Policy

Essay Competition for A-Level Students

Who for?
In order to promote and incentivise young people to pursue a career in foreign policy, YPFP London, sponsored by King’s College London and the International Churchill Society, is hosting an essay competition for A-Level students (aged 16-17). Young people from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to participate.

Deadline for submission extended:

All essays must be submitted to london@ypfp.org by 12:00h June 9th 2021. Participants need to include their full name, age, school, chosen Churchill quote and contact details (email and phone number). Winners will be announced between June 10th and June 12th.

Why take part? 

First prize (one winner) will receive a placement at the prestigious Pre-University Summer School (5th – 16th July) International Relations module, with full scholarship covering the £2050 tuition fee and £60 registration fee. Due to Covid-19 this year the course will be online. Two years free membership to YPFP Global and a publication in an international foreign policy magazine.

*To be offered a place on the programme, the student must meet minimum academic and English language requirements, and submit a standard personal statement (500 words max) explaining their motivations for applying to the programme. Due to the tight deadline, we advise you to have a prepared statement as once the winner is announced, they need to be registered on KCL’s admissions system by 23:00h on June 11th 2021.

Runner up (two winners) will receive £200 cash prize, one year free membership to YPFP Global and a publication in Charged Affairs, YPFP foreign policy magazine.

Honourable Mention (four winners) will receive one year free membership to YPFP Global, their essays featured in YPFP and King’s blogs, official newsletters and across all social media channels.

The Essay!

The topic of the essay competition is current affairs in foreign policy. Participants can choose one of the three Churchill quotes listed below to find inspiration for their essays. You need to be 16-17 years old and studying for your A-Levels. We want you to be creative and original, with the ability to give your educated opinion and reasonable analysis of a foreign policy problem in 750 words max. Participants will be judged on their critical thinking and writing skills. The essays will be op-ed style pieces or policy analyses, appropriate for publication in foreign policy magazines.

Statesmen are not called upon only to settle easy questions. These often settle themselves. It is where the balance quivers, and the proportions are veiled in mist, that the opportunity for world-saving decisions presents itself.’ [-Winston S. Churchill, 1948, The Second World War, Vol 1, p.284.] In politics when you are in doubt what to do, do nothing ... when you are in doubt what to say, say what you really think.’

[-Winston S. Churchill, 1905, North-West Manchester (cited in Langworth, Churchill: In His Own Words)]

Never give in—never, never, never, never, except to convictions of honour and good sense.’
[-Winston S. Churchill, 1969, Never Give In!: The Best of Winston Churchill's Speeches]

YPFP Essay Competition June 2021.pdf