Zinzile MavusoThe Annual Youth Essay Writing Competition Against Racism by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is back and even bigger this year! The Kathrada Foundation is delighted to announce that the competition, in its sixth year, will offer young people between the ages of 15-21 a wider range of categories to engage on the topic of racism. These categories include creative mediums of expression such as art, creative writing, poetry and song writing. “The competition opens on Thursday, 01 September 2022. It has been running since 2017 and in that time, has provided young people an important platform to have their voices heard on the issue of racism”, said the Kathrada Foundation’s Anti-Racism Manager Rethabile
Ratsomo. “The competition will welcome a wide range of media submissions where we hope to inspire young people to speak out and help address the thorny issue of racism. If we are to make a difference and build a better world, we need to acknowledge and include the important voices
of young people who clearly are affected by racism at schools, playgrounds, universities, or even at home”, said Ratsomo. The Anti-Racism Manager reflected on some of the various acts of racism and unfair discrimination occurring all over the country. These ranged from the Grosvenor Girl’s High
School incident in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Stellenbosch University and Rondebosch Boy’s High School in the Western Cape, Clarendon High School for Girls in the Eastern Cape and Hoerskool Jan Viljoen, Pretoria High School for Girls and Cornwall Hill College in Gauteng. These incidents and several others indicate a persistent outcry of learners from various institutions of learning all over the country. Nearly three decades into South Africa’s democracy, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, sexism and related intolerances
continue to threaten the livelihood of all in South Africa and across the world. The platform for young people to begin grappling with the issues and hopefully the solutions, in their own words, on racism is here. Entries can this be made in the form of an essay, song, poetry or original form of artwork.
The prizes
First place will be awarded R2000 cash and a brand new laptop,
Second place will be win R1000 and a new laptop,
Third place will win R500 and a new laptop.
Please note that all participants will receive certificates of participation.
The submissions will need to relate to nay of the following topics
Do #BlackLivesMatter in South Africa today?
A future free from racism
The fear of difference
This is my anti-racism policy for schools
To take part in the competition against racism, applicants should send their entries to the email address essays@kathradafoundation.org, or by post using the address P.O. Box 3240, Lenasia, 1820. Entries can also be hand delivered to the Foundation’s offices at Signet Terrace Office Park, Block B, Suite 2, Guinea Fowl, Extension 1, Lenasia, Johannesburg. The closing date for the competition is Monday, 31 October 2022.
Competition rules
- Participants should be between the ages of 15 – 21.
- One entry per participant.
- Essay should be a minimum of 1000 words and maximum 1500 words.
- Any artwork should not be more than A3 in size
- Any song should not be longer than 2 minutes
- Any entry should be in one of the South African official languages
- Any entry that has been plagiarised will be disqualified
- Any artwork, poem or song entered should be accompanied by an explanation of the entry in no longer than 500 words
